Washington D.C., Nov 15, 2018 / 16:11 pm
Legislation could help advance religious freedom and human rights in China's far western province of Xinjiang, say U.S. lawmakers concerned about the treatment of the region's Uyghur minority.
"The United States must hold accountable officials in the Chinese government and Communist Party responsible for gross violations of human rights and possible crimes against humanity, including the internment in 'political re-education' camps of as many as a million Uyghur and other predominantly Muslim minorities," U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida) said.
The bill will signal "that we will not tolerate Chinese government intrusions on American soil," said the senator.
The bill calls for the immediate closure of reported internment camps in Xinjiang. It asks the FBI to report on harassment and intimidation of ethnic Uyghurs. It calls for the State Department to report on the scale and scope of the reported crackdown.