France tells China to end mass detentions in Xinjiang

France on Wednesday called on China to end "mass arbitrary detentions" in Xinjiang, where around one million ethnic Uighurs and other Muslim minorities are being held in camps that Beijing calls vocational schools. "We call on China to put an end to mass arbitrary detentions," a foreign ministry spokesperson told reporters.

Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has called on China to close the camps and allow the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit Xinjiang as soon as possible to report on the situation. The extent and nature of the camps was revealed to the world in a huge leak of documents in mid-November by a member of the Chinese political establishment.

China initially denied the network of internment camps existed, but changed its position recently to say they are vocational schools that combat Islamist extremism through education and training. Le Drian said the government was paying "close attention to all the testimonies and documents reported by the press".