Cambodia must not return Uighurs to China: Amnesty

Wed, Dec 16, 2009
AFP

PHNOM PENH - Amnesty International urged Cambodia Wednesday not to deport 22 Uighurs who are seeking UN refugee status in Phnom Penh, saying they risked torture at home in China.

The right group's appeal came after China warned Tuesday that UN refugee programmes "should not be a haven for criminals" and said the 22 Uighurs, including three children, were involved in crimes.

"Amnesty International understands that the Chinese government has formally requested the Cambodian authorities to send these asylum seekers back to China," Sam Zarifi, the group's Asia-Pacific director, wrote in an open letter to Cambodian Interior Minister Sar Kheng.

"We urge you not to return the 22 Uighur asylum seekers and to ensure that they have access to a fair asylum process," he said.

"Amnesty International believes that these Uighurs would be particularly vulnerable to torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment."

Cambodia's government says it is cooperating with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to interview the Uighurs to see if they can be granted asylum.

The group arrived at the UNHCR office after fleeing deadly unrest in northwest China's Xinjiang region in July, and their presence in Phnom Penh was first made public two weeks ago.

The July clashes between Xinjiang's Muslim Uighur community and China's majority Han ethnic group left 197 people dead and more than 1,600 injured, according to an official toll.