A Uighur Muslim doctor has been jailed on terrorism charges, Beijing confirmed on Thursday, a day after her family told US politicians she had been sentenced to 20 years.
Gulshan Abbas vanished into detention two years ago, but her relatives told a US congressional committee Wednesday that the 58-year-old had been sentenced to 20 years in prison because of activism on behalf of Uighurs.
Rights groups say an estimated one million Uighurs and other Turkic minorities languish in detention camps in China’s northwestern Xinjiang region in prison-like conditions. China insists they are “vocational training centres”, but activists say inmates face torture and forced labour.
“Gulshan Abbas has been sentenced according to the law by Chinese judicial organs for taking part in organised terrorism, aiding terrorist activities and seriously disrupting social order,” foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters.
He did not give further details of her alleged crimes.
“We urge US politicians to respect facts, stop fabricating lies to smear China, and stop using the Xinjiang issue to interfere in China’s domestic affairs,” he added.
Various Western countries and organisations including the US, EU and UN have criticised China’s policies in Xinjiang, most recently highlighting alleged forced labour practices involving Uighur Muslims.