“We have seen an increasing number of reports of widespread and systematic human rights violations, including reports documenting torture or cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment, forced sterilization, sexual and gender-based violence, and forced separation of children,” said the statement, read by Nicolas De Riviere, France’s ambassador to the U.N., at a meeting of the General Assembly’s Human Rights Committee. The countries cited severe restrictions on the freedoms of religion and movement, association, and expression and on Uyghur culture, as well as widespread surveillance of Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities.
They also called on Beijing to allow unfettered access to Xinjiang by independent observers, including the U.N. high commissioner for human rights.
