Serious concerns have been raised about the treatment of Uyghurs in China, with allegations of human rights abuses including forced organ harvesting coming to the forefront.

In a recent U.S. congressional committee hearing, experts alleged that Chinese authorities had collected genetic information from the Uyghur Muslim minority. The purported aim was to support a forced organ transplant program targeting Muslim medical tourists from Gulf states.

Salih Hudayar, a Uyghur-American politician, took to social media platform X to voice his concerns. He wrote, “China has inaugurated a ‘Children’s Organ Transplant Centre.’ As part of the Uyghur genocide, China has been harvesting Uyghurs’ organs and selling them as ‘halal organs.'” Hudayar also noted that since 2014, nearly a million Uyghur children have reportedly been forcibly separated from their families.

The World Without Genocide, a Minnesota-based non-profit, reports that Uyghurs are allegedly being killed for their organs to meet the demands of a transplant industry valued at approximately $1 billion annually.

These allegations, while serious, remain difficult to verify due to limited independent access to Xinjiang and the secretive nature of the Chinese government. However, they have prompted calls for thorough investigations from international bodies and governments.

Human rights organizations, investigative journalists, and individuals claiming firsthand knowledge or experience continue to raise these concerns. The situation remains under close scrutiny by advocacy groups pushing for international intervention to ensure the protection of human rights in the region.

(Inputs from ANI)