US sanctions against China, North Korea and Myanmar | Current World | DW

The United States has imposed new sanctions on China, North Korea and Myanmar. The U.S. Treasury Department has announced that two leading politicians and a company have been convicted of human rights abuses in China’s Xinjiang province. They are run by Ergon Dunias, the governor of the autonomous region, and his predecessor, Shorat Zakir, and the Senseime group, which uses facial recognition software by police in Xinjiang.

“Police Government”

In Xinjiang, more than a million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities were arrested during the reigns of Zakir and Dunias, the finance ministry said. The aim of the Chinese authorities is to “create a police state in the Xinjiang region through surveillance of arrests and data driven.” Zakir headed the autonomous region from 2018 to 2021, then was replaced by Dunias, who has been deputy governor since 2008.

According to human rights organizations, Uighurs and other Muslims in detention camps in Xinjiang are forced to abandon their religion, culture and language, and in some cases are physically abused. The Chinese government is talking about “educational centers” that will help combat Islamic extremism.

Involved in Disney productions

On International Human Rights Day, the United States also imposed sanctions on companies and individuals affiliated with the North Korean animation film studio SEK & Company. The United States has accused the animation studio of violating previous restrictions on Disney productions such as “Pocahontas” and “The Lion King”. The United States has also imposed sanctions on North Korean Defense Minister Ri Yong-gil.

Further US penal proceedings are being directed against four regional government representatives in Myanmar. They have been accused of taking part in the crackdown on protests in the Southeast Asian country following the coup in February.

“Central to our foreign policy”

The US State Department has finally announced sanctions against twelve government officials from China, Uganda, Belarus, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Mexico. They were charged with “grave human rights violations”. “We are committed to putting human rights at the center of our foreign policy,” said US Secretary of State Anthony Blingen. Its purpose is to draw attention to such acts and to hold those responsible accountable.

ml / ack (afp, ape)