The Law Society of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region

On Jan. 19 (EST), former Secretary of State, Pompeo issued a statement before stepping down, fabricating so-called “arbitrarily detaining Uygur and other ethnic minorities”, “crimes against humanity” and “genocide”. His horrible and ridiculous political poison and lies have not only broken the moral rules, but also breached international morality, regulations and norms of international relations. It wantonly interfered in China’s domestic affairs. In response to this, the field of law and more than 20,000 legal workers are indignant and strongly oppose to it.

Law-ignorant Pompeo barely has any basic knowledge of the international law and conventions. The United Nations Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism notes that poverty, unemployment, the absence of alternative employment opportunities, and low levels of education, are the background causes of violent extremism, along with the distortion and exploitation by violent extremist groups of religious beliefs, ethnic differences and political ideologies. The Plan of Action says that to counter violent extremism, we have to broaden our responses, engage earlier, and address the drivers of violent extremism. We need to complement actions to counter violent extremism with preventive measures. The Plan of Action proposes to encourage individuals to leave violent extremist groups by developing programs that place an emphasis on providing them with educational and economic opportunities. Xinjiang is a key battlefield in the fight against terrorism and extremism in China. In a certain period, separatist, terrorist and extremist forces launched thousands of terrorist attacks in Xinjiang, killing large numbers of innocent people, and causing immeasurable damage to property. In the face of grave and complicated anti-terrorism tasks, in accordance with Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism, Xinjiang strikes hard at terrorist and extremist forces on the one hand, and gives a high priority to prevention on the other hand. Xinjiang has established vocational education and training centers in accordance with the law to deal with the problem at source and protecting people's basic human rights. The fact is that education and training in Xinjiang is practiced in line with the spirit and requirement of the rule of law in China. It also reflects the ideas and principles of counter-terrorism and deradicalization as practiced by the international community which can undergo an ordeal. However, what Pompeo has done is a disclosure of his ignorance of the international law and conventions. His groundless fabrication came from ignorance rather than boldness. Without a slightest sense of shame, he slandered Xinjiang’s efforts in counter terrorism and deradicalization. We’d like to urge Pompeo to learn the international law and conventions before talking through his hat. Such a bluffing law-ignorant will be the laughing stock of the world.

Pompeo bullied and threatened the International Criminal Court, which was a serious violation of the international legal order. According to media report, the prosecutors of the International Criminal Court once applied to judges to investigate suspected war crimes committed by warring sides in Afghanistan War. U.S. military and intelligence personnel were suspected of “torturing, abusing, violating personal dignity, and committing sexual violence” on people detained by the United States in Afghanistan and many other places. However, in March 2019, former U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo threatened that the United States will take retaliatory measures such as banning entry, freezing assets against those who are “responsible for the investigation,” and even applying economic sanctions against the International Criminal Court if the International Criminal Court investigates personnel from the U.S. and its allies. In this regard, United Nations experts alleged that these threats constitute an improper interference in the independence of the International Criminal Court, and might hinder the ability of judges, prosecutors and staff of the International Criminal Court to perform their professional duties. May I ask, what is the confidence of such a person who takes international law as an impropriety and despise the International Criminal Court to smear Xinjiang?

Supporting the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) as a terrorist organization, Pompeo has become the black hand behind the international terrorist forces. Pompeo exactly knows that the ETIM is a terrorist organization recognized by the United Nations Security Council and the international community, which threats both China and the whole world. On June 29, 2012, six terrorists of the ETIM attempted to hijack Flight GS7554 from Hotan to Urumqi following the example of 911 attacks. Finally, we succeeded in subduing six terrorists. Among those anti-hijacking heroes, there were members of Xinjiang Law Society. Pompeo revoked the designation of ETIM as a terrorist organization, and we can’t help wondering that he is the man behind the curtain supporting the ETIM. We want to ask Pompeo, when you openly support ETIM, don’t you see ETIM has launched a series of incidents of terrorist attacks, slaughtering the innocent people indiscriminately for a long time? Don’t you know the terrorism is the common enemy of humanity? Don’t you be afraid to be hoist with your own petard?

Punishment is an act of justice. There is no market for his insidious actions and shameless lies, which will be doomed to be strongly condemned by international public opinions and will be judged by morality, history, law and justice.