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A sharp exchange unfolded on social media platform X following a post by the Chinese Mission to the United Nations marking the International Day to combat Islamophobia.
In its message, the mission emphasised the importance of opposing all forms of Islamophobia, promoting dialogue among civilisations, and respecting religious and cultural diversity, adding that China would continue to work closely with Islamic countries. The statement, however, drew strong criticism from Uyghur activists and leaders. Rushan Abbas, Chairwoman of the Executive Committee of the World Uyghur Congress, condemned the post, calling it "breathtaking" in its audacity. She accused the Chinese government of systematically targeting Islamic practices, alleging the destruction of thousands of mosques, restrictions on religious participation, including banning children from places of worship, and the detention of millions of Uyghur Muslims in what Beijing describes as "vocational training" centres. Abbas also highlighted the personal toll of these policies, drawing attention to the continued detention of her sister, Gulshan Abbas. "My sister has been in a CCP prison for over 7.5 years for the crime of being related to me," she said, questioning China's claims of respecting religious and cultural identity. She described the situation as evidence that China is not combating Islamophobia but rather conducting what she termed "the world's most aggressive state-sponsored campaign against Islamic life". Echoing these concerns, Salih Hudayar of the East Turkistan Government in Exile criticised Beijing's statement as deeply hypocritical. He argued that such messaging is a calculated attempt to mislead Muslim-majority countries and the broader international community while deflecting attention from allegations of genocide, crimes against humanity, and ongoing repression in the Uyghur region. (ANI)
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