China Demands Repatriation of Uighur Detainees Held at Guantanamo

China has once again called for the U.S. to repatriate 17 Uighurs to China. The Uighurs were picked up 7 years ago and have been cleared of being enemy combatants. Since being cleared, the issue is where to send the Uighurs upon their release. The U.S. wants to release them, but there is fear from the White House that the Uighurs could be tortured if sent to China. In 2006, the U.S. released 5 Uighurs and sent them to Albania.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang, does not believe the White House's concerns are valid. Qin says such a view is biased against the Chinese and that China is a country of law in which tortute is not permitted. He hopes the U.S. will release to Uighurs to China so that the men can be brought to justice.

This Uighur case is among dozens of Guantanamo cases now being reviewed since foreign detainees have a right to appeal their detainment at Guantanamo to U.S. civilian courts. This matter will be of importance because in Xinjiang, Beijing has cracked down upon those it deems as being separatists. Some Uighurs claim they are being repressed. Besides the U.S. fear of tortute, China considers the 17 men as being members of the U.S. and U.N. recognized terrorist organization known as the East Turkestan Islamic Movement. Therefore, what happens to the 17 Uighurs in this case will have an impact on Chinese and American political relations.

http://voanews.com/english/2008-10-09-voa9.cfm