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It’s been more than two years since ICIJ revealed the operations manuals of China’s widescale campaign against Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities. The China Cables investigation significantly advanced what the world knew about mass internment camps in the Xinjiang province.
Since then, evidence of what some have called one of the greatest human-rights catastrophes of modern times has steadily grown — sparking international condemnation, Western sanctions, and high-profile accusations of genocide. Beijing has steadfastly denied the allegations, claiming that camps are merely “education centers” meant to combat terrorism, improve labor skills and reduce poverty.
Now, a first-of-its-kind leak refutes those claims in stunning detail. Thousands of images and documents obtained from public security bureaus in Xinjiang provide an unprecedented view of the militarized nature of China’s mass internment camps
“It’s [one] thing to know it and another thing to see it,” says Adrian Zenz, a leading activist and researcher on the Uyghur crisis who shared the records with ICIJ and other news outlets.
The Xinjiang Police Files include mug shots and personal information of thousands of detainees dating back to the height of China’s program and other photos taken inside the camps. The files also build on ICIJ’s previous reporting on how high-tech surveillance and predictive policing play a role in the mass detention of Uyghurs.
They also present a stark contrast to images previously published from government-organized press tours. Classified documents detail the intense monitoring and intrusive checks an EU delegation encountered when inspecting human rights in the region in 2018. This week, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, Michelle Bachelet, is making a long-awaited visit to Xinjiang.
“It's really fortunate that this material can come out because it would blow away Chinese propaganda,” says Zenz.
CONNECTED DATA FELLOWSHIP
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Thanks for reading!
Asraa Mustufa
ICIJ's digital editor
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