[Epoch Times, January 11, 2022](The Epoch Times reporter Xia Yu reported) In December last year, the CCP announced retaliatory sanctions against four officials of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom. On Monday, January 10, U.S. Secretary of State Blinken issued a statement in response to the Chinese sanctions.
“This is yet another affront to universal rights by China,” Blinken wrote in a statement posted on the State Department’s website. Sanctions, including Chairman Nadine Maenza, Vice Chairman Nury Turkel and two commissioners: Anurima Bhargava and James W . Carr).
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Blinken also criticized China’s previous unreasonable sanctions on U.S. officials. He said that in addition to dozens of current or former U.S. officials and organizations promoting democracy and respect for human rights around the world, China has previously sanctioned three other current or former U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Commissioners, and all of these sanctions It’s all “baseless”.
Earlier in 2021, the CCP also announced to “sanction” former USCIRF chairman Gayle Manchin, commissioner Johnnie Moore and commissioner Tony Perkins.
Blinken emphasized that the United States will not be intimidated by these CCP actions, “We stand with USCIRF and its staff. The United States is committed to defending human rights around the world and will continue to use all diplomatic and economic tools to promote accountability. .”
Referring to the CCP’s ongoing threats to human rights activists, the secretary of state said Beijing’s continued attempts to intimidate and silence those who speak out for human rights will only fuel international scrutiny of the ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang.
“The U.S. reiterates its call on China to stop its transnational repressive practices, including the imprisonment and coercive practice of depriving the families of Uyghur activists in the United States, including individuals serving the American people, of their freedom of movement. These actions undermine the rules-based international order.” Say.
In conclusion, Blinken said the United States supports and stands with those who speak out for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of religion or belief.
The Chinese authorities said on December 21, 2021 that they would impose sanctions on the chairman, vice-chairman and two members of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, bar them from entering China, including Hong Kong and Macau, freeze their property in China, and ban Chinese citizens and institutions to deal with it.
China’s move is in retaliation for sanctions announced by the U.S. Treasury Department on International Human Rights Day on December 10. The Treasury Department has identified and sanctioned 15 people and 10 entities in several countries, including China, for serious human rights abuses, and placed investment restrictions on a Chinese company that was found to be using surveillance technology to facilitate human rights abuses.
Those targeted by the U.S. sanctions include Shekeliti Zakr, who served as the chairman of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region government from 2018 to 2021, and Erken, who has been the vice chairman of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region since 2008 and is currently acting chairman. ‧Tuniaz. The United States noted that more than a million Uighurs and other Muslim minorities were detained in Xinjiang during their tenure.
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom is an independent federal government agency established by two major political parties to assess the state of religious freedom around the world and make policy recommendations to the executive branch.
The committee had recommended that the Biden administration boycott the Winter Olympics in Beijing in February as a response to the CCP’s severe violations of the religious rights of Uighurs and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang.
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also responded on January 5 by retaliating against the Chinese Communist Party and sanctioning members of the U.S. Commission on Religious Freedom.
In a statement issued by Pelosi’s office, the U.S. Congress strongly condemns the Chinese Communist Party’s retaliation against religious freedom leaders. “The Chinese government’s abuse of Uighurs and other Muslim minorities is genocide, and its intimidation tactics will not prevent the United States from taking strong action to address this terror.”
“On a bipartisan and bicameral basis, Congress has stood by these human rights advocates in calling for and combating CCP abuses in Xinjiang and across the region,” Pelosi said.
Responsible editor: Gao Jing#
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