China maintains very firm control over its population. Human rights advocates claim the abuses of this communist nation are many. And lately these abuses have been targeted at its Uyghur population - a Muslim minority group of about 11 million people which live mostly in the Xinjiang province in northwestern China. Activists say that over the years, China has progressively curtailed the Uyghurs' religious, commercial and cultural activities. It encourages members of the majority Han Chinese to move to the region and has demolished more than 100 Uyghur cemeteries. It is believed that China has detained up to 3 million Uyghurs over the past few years in state re-education camps. China is also accused of conducting a program of forced sterilization against Uyghur women. Former prisoners and staff of China’s “vocational and educational training centers” have recently reported Uyghur women have been subjected to systematic mass rape and torture while incarcerated. Advocates also claim 83 foreign and Chinese companies are benefitting from forced labor programs using Uyghur workers.

In 2017, President Xi issued a directive that "religions in China must be Chinese in orientation" and "adapt themselves to socialist society". This directive led to a crackdown on religious practice that most affected the Uyghurs. China has installed a surveillance network in Xinjiang that includes police checkpoints and facial recognition technology. The Chinese government says the measures are necessary to combat separatist violence in the region, but it is accused of exaggerating the threat in order to justify repression of the Uyghurs. Many prominent Uyghurs have been imprisoned or sought asylum abroad after being accused of terrorism.

Pending Legislation: S.65 - Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act
Sponsor: Sen. Marco Rubio (FL)
Status: Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
Chair: Sen. Bob Menendez (NJ)

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