Iain Duncan Smith accuses Xinjiang governor of ‘murder’ at Uyghur protest

Iain Duncan Smith (right) joined a vigil outside the Foreign Office in London to protest at the planned visit to the UK of Erkin Tuniyaz, governor of the Chinese region of Xinjiang. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA

Iain Duncan Smith has accused the Chinese governor of Xinjiang of murder as he joined Uyghur activists protesting against his reported visit to Britain.

Demonstrators gathered outside the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) on Monday after it emerged that Erkin Tuniyaz, the chairman of the Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region, could meet UK officials, a scenario Duncan Smith branded “unacceptable”. Tuniyaz was expected to come to the UK this week, according to the reports, with some speculating he has already arrived.