WEEKLY BRIEF, 29 JANUARY 2021
News
Leaked Chinese Police Database Reveals Mass Surveillance of Uyghurs
On 29 January, the Intercept analyzed millions of leaked files from a massive Chinese police database, centered on Ürümqi, which offer an inside view of mass surveillance facilitating repression and arbitrary detainment of Uyghurs in the internment camp system. The analysis reveals that police use community informants such as text messages, phone contacts, e-commerce and banking records to collect massive amounts of information on Uyghurs in Ürümqi. Moreover, invasive surveillance techniques are found to watch for signs of religious enthusiasm, which are generally equated with extremism. Wearing a long beard or a headscarf, talking to relatives living abroad, or visiting other countries are hence categorized by the Chinese government as extremist behaviour. These categorizations mirror those of the earlier reported “Aksu list”. Together, these government files show how Uyghurs are targeted by Chinese authorities for everyday, lawful behaviour.
