A Chinese policeman patrols a weekly Uighur market in Xinjiang Province
Photo: CARLOS BARRIA / REUTERS
The European Union (EU) has already imposed sanctions on the People's Republic of China in the past because of the suppression of the Muslim Uyghur minority in the Xinjiang region.
Now they will be extended by one year, announced the Council of Member States in Brussels.
The EU is committed to »denouncing human rights violations wherever they occur«.
Punitive measures for human rights violations in countries such as Russia, Libya and North Korea were also continued until December next year.
Specifically, the sanctions hit the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau and representatives of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region Party Committee.
All assets of these natural or legal persons should be frozen.
In addition, no more money or economic resources may be made available to them.
They are also prohibited from entering the EU.
From the point of view of the EU, the sanctioned are responsible for the mass, arbitrary internment and degrading treatment of Uyghurs and members of other Muslim minorities as well as systematic violations of freedom of religion and belief.
New tensions
There are diplomatic tensions between the European Union and Beijing because of the EU sanctions: In response, the Chinese government adopted measures against European politicians, experts and institutions.
In Germany they concern the Green MEP Reinhard Bütikofer, the CDU MEP Michael Gahler as well as the Uyghur researcher Adrian Zenz and the renowned Mercator Institute for China Studies (Merics).
In the EU, the process of concluding the investment agreement that had already been negotiated was then put on hold.
Uyghurs are ethnically related to the Turks and feel oppressed by the ruling Han Chinese in Xinjiang.
After they came to power in Beijing in 1949, the communists incorporated the former East Turkestan into the People's Republic.
Beijing accuses Uighur groups of terrorism.
Human rights groups estimate that hundreds of thousands of Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Hui and members of other minorities have been sent to re-education camps in Xinjiang.
China rejects the allegations and speaks of training centers.
mrc / dpa