that concluded that serious human rights violations in the Xinjiang region"a hodgepodge of false information", and dismissed the report's recommendations to investigate and redress what could amount to crimes against humanity.
The strongly-worded 48-page UN report, released on Wednesday just minutes before Ms Bachelet's four-year term in office ended, concluded that"serious" human rights violations have been committed against Uighurs and other ethnic minority groups in Xinjiang in the name of"counter-terrorism". Titled"Fight against terrorism and extremism in Xinjiang: Truth and Facts", the report said Beijing's"painstaking efforts" had eradicated terrorist activities and the rampant spread of extremism in Xinjiang.
A majority of former detainees interviewed said they were subjected to"treatment that would amount to torture and/or other forces of ill-treatment" in VETCs. Detainees were kept from speaking their own language and practising their own religion, and were forced to sing patriotic songs, the report added.
While the report acknowledged a lack of information to draw firm conclusions as to the extent of such abuses, the UN office recommended that Beijing takes prompt steps to release all those detained in training centres, prisons or other facilities and investigate allegations of human rights violations.He said:"The report is a hodgepodge of false information to serve the political purposes of the US and Western side, it is a political tool to pressure China.