Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of suffering within the Uyghur communities and the pressure put on Muslims in China during the month of Ramadan.

Although freedom of religion or belief is guaranteed under the Chinese constitution, we remain concerned about restrictions to this right. We continue to be concerned about the treatment of Muslims, in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in particular, including restrictions on the celebration of Ramadan and Islamic dress. We regularly raise our concerns with the Chinese authorities.

China is bound, as a member of the UN Human Rights Council, to respect the international commitments to which it is a party, including those related to freedom of religion or belief. Freedom of religion or belief remains one of this Government’s core human rights priorities and we continue to support its development globally.