Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis has spoken out against the Chinese government’s treatment of the Uighur Muslims.
Writing in the Guardian, Rabbi Mirvis said that having heard accounts of persecution from Uighur Muslims, “and reflecting upon the deep pain of Jewish persecution throughout the ages, I feel compelled to speak out”.
He continued: “Can it be true that, in our modern, sophisticated world, men and women are still beaten if they refuse to renounce their faith? That women are forced to abort their unborn children and are then sterilised to prevent them from becoming pregnant again? That forced imprisonment, the separation of children from their parents and a culture of intimidation and fear have become the norm?
“Sadly, the weight of evidence of this persecution of the Uighur Muslim minority in China is overwhelming. Satellite images, leaked documents and survivor testimonies all paint a devastating picture affecting well over one million people, which, for the most part, the world continues to ignore.”
