China's poll will open, UNHRC High Commissioner to visit Xinjiang after Olympics

China has permitted the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to visit the Xinjiang region. UNHRC had been seeking permission from the Xi Jinping government to visit Xinjiang for a long time. China has agreed to allow the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit Xinjiang after the conclusion of the Winter Olympics.

China repressing minorities in Xinjiang

Human rights groups have consistently said that China is oppressing Muslims and minorities in the Xinjiang region. These groups say that minorities including Uighurs, Kazakhs, and many more are facing persecution which is a crime against humanity. Many countries, including the US, have criticized China's human rights record in dealing with Uighurs. However, China has always vehemently denied these allegations. China calls its policies necessary to deal with religious extremism.

UNHRC chief wanted to go to Xinjiang from 2018

Since September 2018, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet was in constant talks with Chinese officials regarding the visit to Xinjiang. In June 2021, the UN rights chief hoped to agree on terms for the Xinjiang visit.

It has been told in media reports that after the end of the Beijing Winter Olympics, a visit to the United Nations has been approved for some time. However, the reports also said that Beijing has put a condition regarding the visit that the visit should not be framed as an investigation.