London | The United Kingdom “condemned” Friday the sanctions taken by Beijing against several British personalities and entities, denouncing a desire to silence those who denounce human rights violations.
“We condemn China’s attempts to silence those who denounce human rights violations, at home and abroad,” Foreign Minister Dominic Raab tweeted.
After the sanctions taken by the United Kingdom alongside the EU, the United States and Canada, Beijing on Friday sanctioned nine British personalities, including high-ranking parliamentarians, as well as four entities accused of “spreading lies” about human rights in Xinjiang.
“While the United Kingdom joins the international community in sanctioning human rights violations, the Chinese government sanctions its critics,” denounced the British foreign minister in a brief statement.
“If Beijing is to credibly refute human rights violations in Xinjiang, it should allow the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights full access to verify the truth,” he added.
Among the entities targeted by Beijing are the Human Rights Commission of the Conservative Party (the formation of Prime Minister Boris Johnson), as well as the former leader of this party, Iain Duncan Smith, and the deputy Tom Tugendhat, who heads the House of Commons Committee on Foreign Affairs.
“It is our duty to denounce human rights violations by the Chinese government in Hong Kong and the genocide of the Uyghurs,” reacted on Twitter Iain Duncan Smith. “If this draws China’s wrath on me, I will wear this badge as an honor,” he said.
“Britain is taking sanctions against individuals who violate the human rights of Chinese citizens. China sanctions individuals who defend the human rights of Chinese citizens. The contrast is clear, ”reacted Tom Tugendhat, also on Twitter.
Also sanctioned by Beijing, the conservative deputy Nusrat Ghani considers that this is a “red flag for all democratic countries”.
“I know that I will not let myself be intimidated”, these sanctions “make me even more determined to talk about Uyghurs”, she stressed.