Canada imposed sanctions on Chinese officials on this charge

According to an official announcement, Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly imposed penalties on eight prominent Chinese officials, both current and former, under the Special Economic Measures (People’s Republic of China) Regulations on International Human Rights Day.

According to the statement, these punishments were aimed at those who were engaged in serious violations of human rights, especially in Tibet and Xinjiang, as well as Falun Gong members.

The decision was made by the Canadian government in reaction to persistent claims of systematic abuses and repression in China, including as violence against ethnic and religious minorities, forced labor, and arbitrary incarceration. The penalties specifically targeted how the Chinese government treated Tibetans, Falun Gong practitioners, and Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang. Canada vehemently denounced these human rights abuses.

More than a million Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities have been imprisoned by Chinese authorities in Xinjiang since 2017. Many of them have allegedly been tortured, made to do forced labor, and abused psychologically, physically, and sexually. Tibetans have also experienced harsh limitations on their freedom of religion, speech, and travel, as well as forced labor and arbitrary detentions. Falun Gong adherents have also been subject to arrests, detentions, and torture by the Chinese government since 1999.

“Canada is deeply concerned by the human rights violations in Xinjiang and Tibet and against those who practice Falun Gong,” Minister Joly said, underscoring Canada’s commitment to human rights. We urge the Chinese government to respect its international human rights commitments and halt this systematic campaign of persecution.

The penalties imposed that day expanded on earlier Canadian initiatives, such as the 2021 application of sanctions against Chinese officials and organizations connected to human rights violations. Additionally, Canada has taken action to keep products made using forced labor out of its supply chains.

Following her travel to China in July 2024, when she met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to discuss global human rights issues and the status of Canada-China ties, Minister Joly made her declaration. China was nonetheless urged by Canada to uphold its commitments under international human rights law, especially those set down by the UN Human Rights Council.

In observance of International Human Rights Day, Canada reiterated its commitment to promoting human rights across the world and holding violators accountable.