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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World

We are in despair at the Labour party’s U-turn on Uyghur genocide ruling

A Uyghur demonstrator at a protest in front of the Chinese consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, October 1, 2019. REUTERS/Huseyin Aldemir
A Uyghur demonstrator at a protest in front of the Chinese consulate in Istanbul, 2019. Photograph: Huseyin Aldemir/Reuters

We were deeply disturbed to read your report about David Lammy’s visit to China that highlighted how our Labour government – headed by a human rights lawyer – has decided to backtrack on plans for formal recognition of acts of genocide in order to facilitate trade deals with China (Labour backtracks on push for genocide ruling on China’s treatment of Uyghurs, 17 October).

For six days in 2021 we attended the Uyghur Tribunal, during which numerous shocking testimonies were presented. We had been asked to provide psychological support to those giving evidence, in recognition of the emotional demands of participation. The courage of those who took part was breathtaking – many spoke of the risk to their lives and to their family members’ lives in participating. We heard accounts of forcible sterilisation, imprisonment and sadistic torture.

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