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Expert: 'Uygur Tribunal' has no legal basis
By Huang Yue
02:53

The self-styled "Uygur Tribunal" has no legal basis under the UN Genocide Convention, which it purports to base itself on, said a Chinese legal expert. 

"According to the UN Genocide Convention, the alleged crimes of genocide can only be heard by a competent tribunal of the state in the territory of which the act was committed, or by international panel tribunal as may have jurisdiction with respect to those contracting parties which have accepted its jurisdiction," said Huo Zhengxin, a professor of law from China University of Political Science and Law. 

Read more:

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Embassy in the UK: 'Uygur Tribunal' a farce to contain China

Huo said the tribunal has nothing to do with law or justice even under UK's domestic law, as its website indicates it was established as a "Private Company Limited by Guarantee," which is a business structure normally set up by non-profit organizations, clubs and associations. 

The tribunal's website suggests that it's funded by donations, initially to the tune of around $115,000 from the World Uygur Congress. 

Huo said the World Uygur Congress has been supported by the U.S.-based NGO, the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).

"The World Uygur Congress is a terrorist organization, and it has been responsible for ethnic-based violence and tensions between the Uygurs and Han people. So this organization is illegal. And its extremist distortion of Islam has also led to the condemnation by Muslims not just in China but around the world. As for the NED, it is widely regarded as a CIA front to advance regime change operations and promote U.S. interests abroad," said Huo.

On Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin dismissed the tribunal as "another anti-China farce concocted by a few people," saying it's neither legal nor credible. 

Last month, officials from northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region also strongly condemned the UK-based tribunal, calling it a serious provocation to the 25 million people of all ethnic groups in the region. 

"Anti-China forces in the U.S. and Western countries have colluded with 'East Turkistan' forces to set up this absurd 'Uygur Tribunal.' Its purpose is to describe vocational education and training centers as 'concentration camps,' linking education and training in Xinjiang with 'genocide,' and finally accusing Xinjiang of 'genocide.' But these are all lies," said Xu Guixiang, spokesperson for Xinjiang. 

The "Uygur Tribunal" began its hearings on Friday and is due to continue until Monday. The sessions are chaired by Veteran British barrister Geoffrey Nice, who was among the nine UK individuals sanctioned by China in March for "spreading lies and disinformation" about Xinjiang.

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