Advocates say coronavirus spread would be ‘catastrophic’ for detainees of Chinese internment camps

Source: ipolitics

Advocates are urging the federal government to take action amid concern the spread of the coronavirus would have devastating consequences for the 3 million Uyghur Muslims and other minority groups detained in Chinese internment camps.

Speaking at a press conference in Ottawa Wednesday, Zapaer Alip a coordinator at International Support for Uyghurs, said the federal government must ask Chinese authorities to close the concentration camps in light of the rapidly spreading novel virus. Those detained in the camps, he said, are already suffering from torture, overcrowding, malnutrition, and a lack of access to medical resources.

“The immune systems of those who are still alive and detained may have been severely compromised due to these factors, which means if the virus spreads into these camps, the consequences could be catastrophic,” he said.

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