By Caribbean News Global 
OTTAWA, Canada – Canada has announced it is imposing new sanctions against four officials and one entity under the Special Economic Measures (People’s Republic of China) Regulations, based on their participation in gross and systematic human rights violations in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR).
“These measures are being taken in coordination with the United States and the United Kingdom, and in solidarity with the European Union,” a press release from Global Affairs, said.
“We remain deeply concerned by the egregious human rights violations that are taking place in Xinjiang at the hands of the Chinese state. Today, we are joining our partners in calling on the Government of China to put an end to this systematic campaign of repression against Uyghurs and other Muslim ethnic minorities and to hold those responsible to account,” said, Marc Garneau, minister of foreign affairs.
These sanctions underscore Canada’s grave concerns with the ongoing human rights violations occurring in the XUAR, affecting Uyghurs and other Muslim ethnic minorities. Mounting evidence points to systemic, state-led human rights violations by Chinese authorities.
“This includes the mass arbitrary detention of more than one million Uyghurs and other Muslim ethnic minorities on the basis of their religion and ethnicity, as well as political re-education, forced labour, torture and forced sterilization.
“Canada has raised the issue with Chinese authorities, and consistently voiced its deep concern over the repression of minorities in international forums in cooperation with partners, including at the United Nations Human Rights Council.
“Canada will continue to call on the People’s Republic of China to adhere to basic human rights and allow for meaningful, unfettered access to the XUAR so that impartial experts can observe and report on the situation first-hand.
“Canada will work collaboratively with partners to address the dire human rights situation in Xinjiang, including by ensuring consequences for this repression, with a view to ending it. We have the responsibility to work with others in the international community to ensure that any such allegations are investigated by an independent international body of legal experts,” in the meantime, the press release concluded.
