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Rare photographic proof of the the detainment of the Uyghurs.

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There are no photos of what occurs within the concentration camps, as they are severely guarded, unwilling to allow any information leak out. They bear a horrifying similarity to the Holocaust camps; in addition to the genocide, the captives are also brought into forced labour.

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In China, we see a clear violation of Article 9 through the occurrence of the genocide and persecution of the ethnic minority group, the Uyghurs; a group of majority Muslims. Their religion has caused them to be persecuted by the Chinese government. Detained in camps in Xinjiang, the Uyghurs are forced to endure tortures as mortifying as enforced sterilization (Section 5 of the Ellie Weisel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act of 2018, Page 2).

The People's Republic of China denies all of these claims and insists that there is no record of genocide. The Uyghurs being arbitrarily detained is undeniably abuse of human rights, but to this day, there has been no interference to try to resolve this issue.

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China has been accused of committing crimes against humanity and possibly genocide against the Uyghur population and other mostly-Muslim ethnic groups in the north-western region of Xinjiang.

Human rights groups believe China has detained more than one million Uyghurs against their will over the past few years in a large network of what the state calls "re-education camps", and sentenced hundreds of thousands to prison terms.

A series of police files obtained by the BBC in 2022 has revealed details of China's use of these camps and described the routine use of armed officers and the existence of a shoot-to-kill policy for those trying to escape.

The US is among several countries to have previously accused China of committing genocide in Xinjiang. The leading human rights groups Amnesty and Human Rights Watch have published reports accusing China of crimes against humanity.

China denies all allegations of human rights abuses in Xinjiang. The Chinese government - speaking after details of the Xinjiang Police Files were published - said the peace and prosperity brought to Xinjiang as a result of its anti-terrorism measures were the best response to "all sorts of lies".

Who are the Uyghurs?

There are about 12 million Uyghurs, mostly Muslim, living in Xinjiang, which is officially known as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR).

The Uyghurs speak their own language, which is similar to Turkish, and see themselves as culturally and ethnically close to Central Asian nations. They make up less than half of the Xinjiang population.

Recent decades have seen a mass migration of Han Chinese (China's ethnic majority) into Xinjiang, allegedly orchestrated by the state to dilute the minority population there.

Uyghur activists say they fear that the group's culture is under threat of erasure.

Where is Xinjiang?

Xinjiang lies in the north-west of China and is the country's largest region. Like Tibet, it is autonomous, meaning - in theory - it has some powers of self-governance. But in practice, both regions are subjected to major restrictions by the central government.

Xinjiang is a mostly desert region and produces about a fifth of the world's cotton. Human rights groups have voiced concerns that much of that cotton export is picked by forced labour, and in 2021 some Western brands removed Xinjiang cotton from their supply chains, leading to a backlash against the brands from Chinese celebrities and netizens.

In December 2020, research seen by the BBC showed that up to half a million people were being forced to pick cotton in Xinjiang. There is evidence that new factories have been built within the grounds of the re-education camps.

The region is also rich in oil and natural gas and because of its proximity to Central Asia and Europe is seen by Beijing as an important trade link.

In the early 20th Century, the Uyghurs briefly declared independence for the region but it was brought under the complete control of China's new Communist government in 1949.

The UK parliament declared in April 2021 that China was committing a genocide in Xinjiang.

A UN human rights committee in 2018 said it had credible reports that China was holding up to a million people in "counter-extremism centres" in Xinjiang.

The UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the files contained "shocking details of China's human rights violations".

Earlier, leaked documents known as the China Cables made clear that the camps were intended to be run as high security prisons, with strict discipline and punishments.

People who have managed to escape the camps have reported physical, mental and sexual torture. Women have spoken of mass rape and sexual abuse.

Anti-Han and separatist sentiment rose in Xinjiang from the 1990s, sometimes flaring into violence. In 2009 about 200 people died in clashes in Xinjiang, which the Chinese blamed on Uyghurs who wanted their own state. But in recent years a massive security crackdown has crushed dissent.

Xinjiang is now covered by a pervasive network of surveillance, including police, checkpoints, and cameras that scan everything from number plates to individual faces. According to Human Rights Watch, police are also using a mobile app to monitor people's behaviour, such as how much electricity they are using and how often they use their front door.

Since 2017, when President Xi Jinping issued an order saying all religions in China should be Chinese in orientation, there have been further crackdowns. Campaigners say China is trying to eradicate Uyghur culture.

The Xinjiang Police Files, which all date from before 2019, shed further light on Uyghurs being punished for alleged crimes that took place years ago. Many appear to have been targeted for their mobile phone use, for listening to "illegal lectures" or not using their phones enough, which is regarded as a sign the user is trying to evade digital surveillance.

What does China say?

China denies all allegations of human rights abuses in Xinjiang. In response to the Xinjiang Police Files, China's foreign ministry spokesman told the BBC that the documents were "the latest example of anti-China voices trying to smear China". He said Xinjiang enjoyed stability and prosperity and residents were living happy, fulfilled lives.

China says the crackdown in Xinjiang is necessary to prevent terrorism and root out Islamist extremism and the camps are an effective tool for re-educating inmates in its fight against terrorism.

It insists that Uyghur militants are waging a violent campaign for an independent state by plotting bombings, sabotage and civic unrest, but it is accused of exaggerating the threat in order to justify repression of the Uyghurs.

China has dismissed claims it is trying to reduce the Uyghur population through mass sterilisations as "baseless", and says allegations of forced labour are "completely fabricated".

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Who are the Uyghurs and why is China being accused of genocide?

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China has been accused by the US of genocide and crimes against humanity against the Muslim minority group.

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The violation of Article 9 is a common one, as all it takes is a government that's willing to hide secrets. The main cause of these violation is for the purpose to silence and expel.

In cases where a country wants to silence, it's because the the most dangerous ability a citizen can have is the one to speak and spread information. Specifically, information of that allows people to realize the cruelty imposed on them, and how to additionally combat that injustice. By sentencing someone to prison, you restrict communication to that person, therefore prevent the spread of possible riot and rebellion.

The camps in China were created to supposedly "convert" the Uyghurs from their religion, but in reality, we see that the true purpose is one of a much more horrible intent. The Uyghurs are not "expelled" from China; rather, they are hidden away, unable to be seen or heard. After researching this genocide, I realize that this is much worse than complete exile, because it cages them like animals, allowing them to be fully manipulated by the government; with not a single person knowing.

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"AND THEN, one day all foreign Jews were expelled from Sighet. And Moishe the Beadle was a foreigner. (Weisel, 6)"

Despite the government having no justification for the expel of the foreign Jews, they forced them out anyways, violating Article 9.

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Article 9: No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.

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Article 9: No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.

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Article 9 entails the protection of personal security, forbidding unjustified detainment and exile. One can not be placed in prison or removed from their country based on unfounded claims.

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What does the UDHR say about Arbitrary Arrest, Detention and Exile? Article 9