The evidence is clear: a genocide against the Uighurs is in progress. Britain must not put trade before human rights
It came as no surprise to me that I have been included on the list of those sanctioned by the Chinese government for vocal criticisms of the human rights abuses towards Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang province. China is not big on freedom of speech.
In the “tit-for-tat game that is part of foreign relations, this action is of little consequence. On a personal level, I will be sad not to visit China again, as I have great admiration for many Chinese academics and human rights advocates with whom I have had contact. However, I have no assets to freeze, no investments and no secret property, and my legal work seeking to protect human rights will go on as before.
Related: China imposes sanctions on UK MPs, lawyers and academic in Xinjiang row
Related: China has detained my young children. I don’t know if I’ll ever see them again | Mihriban Kader
Helena Kennedy QC is a Labour peer
Continue reading…This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.