Canada Expresses Concern About Xinjiang Rights to Local leaders Canada’s ambassador to Beijing, Jennifer May, visited the Xinjiang region last week and conveyed Canada’s concerns regarding human rights violations directly to local leaders, according to a statement from the Canadian foreign ministry on Sunday.The visit, which took place from June 19-22, marks the first such trip by a Canadian envoy to Xinjiang in a decade. Ambassador May’s discussions with Xinjiang leadership focused on “credible reports of systematic violations of human rights occurring in Xinjiang affecting Uyghurs and other Muslim ethnic minorities,” the statement said. These concerns align with a 2022 report by the then U.N. human rights chief, which suggested that China’s treatment of Uyghurs could constitute crimes against humanity. Beijing has consistently denied these allegations.The Chinese embassy in Ottawa was not immediately available for comment.This diplomatic move comes shortly after Canada warned China against meddling in its elections. In April, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Beijing of attempting to interfere in the last two national votes, an accusation that China dismissed.Campaign groups have recently urged U.N. human rights chief Volker Turk to take more decisive action regarding the documented abuses against Uyghurs and other Muslims in Xinjiang.Ambassador May reiterated Canada’s call for China to permit U.N. independent experts unfettered access to all regions of the country. Both Canada and the United States have imposed sanctions on individuals and entities over alleged rights abuses in Xinjiang.
