Rt Hon Amanda Milling MP
Minister of State for Asia
King Charles Street
London
SW1A 2AH
Rt Hon. Lord Alton KCSG KCMCO
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA
06 October 2021
Dear Lord Alton
Thank you for your email of 21 September regarding Uyghurs in Turkey. I am replying as the Minister for Asia.
I can reassure you that we take the matters you raise very seriously. The UK has repeatedly called on other countries, including Turkey, to respect their obligations not to force persons to return to a country where there are substantial grounds for believing they would be in danger of fundamental rights violations.
We are aware of cases where China has pressured third countries to return Uyghurs. UK Ministers and diplomats – working closely with likeminded partners – have previously intervened privately at senior levels with host governments in such cases. We have also attended extradition court hearings to demonstrate the seriousness with which we take this matter. These interventions have had some positive results.
More broadly, the UK continues to lead international efforts to hold China to account for its human rights violations in Xinjiang. Most recently, the UK raised concerns about Xinjiang in our Item 4 national statement at the UN Human Rights Council on 24 September 2021.
Please be assured that we will continue to work closely with international partners on these issues, and to impress upon China the need to immediately end serious violations of human rights in Xinjiang.
Yours sincerely,
Rt Hon Amanda Milling MP
Minister of State for Asia
