Photo:Xinhua

Senior Islamic clerical figures from Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Wednesday refuted rumors that the Xinjiang regional government "detained and persecuted" unrecognized religious staff, saying that all legal religious activities are protected in the region.  

Abudrkmu Tumunyaz, head of the Xinjiang Islamic Institute and also head of the Xinjiang Islamic Association, told a press conference on Wednesday that he heard recently that some politicians and media in the US had spread rumors that the "Xinjiang regional government detained unrecognized religious staff and some of them were even persecuted to death." 

"I want to clarify that our government has never persecuted anyone, let alone persecuted anyone to death. What the American politicians and media said was sheer slander. Such groundless accusations fully expose their evil intentions to tarnish China's image and instigate conflicts among different ethnic groups in Xinjiang by using religious issues," he said. 

Yiminjan Sedul, a retired teacher and a member from the Xinjiang Islamic Institute, was claimed by overseas anti-China forces as having been "illegally detained" but in fact, it was the overseas anti-China forces who deceived and used his daughter as "a witness" to spread the rumor about his detention, Xinjiang officials said at the press conference.  

A video released at the Wednesday press conference showed that Yiminjan is living a normal life and tells her daughter not to believe rumors and stay away from people who try to use her. 

"I would also like to emphasize that the criminals who have been punished according to law are neither religious figures, nor religious staff at all. They are criminals who spread extremism and engaged in separation, infiltration, sabotage and terrorist and extremist activities under the banner of Islam," Abudrkmu said. 

Abudrkmu said that some American politicians just hate to see peace and prosperity in the Xinjiang region and in China as a whole, so they keep popping up and spreading rumors, and maliciously slander China's legal fight against terrorism and extremism as "religious persecution."

 "I can't help asking: are those who conduct violent terrorist attacks under the guise of religion in the US also deemed to be suffering from religious persecution? Are those who launched the September 11 terrorist attacks also religious figures?"

"The US has shown no mercy in its fight against terrorism, and even ventured abroad to fight terrorists, and some of its activities have made life difficult for many countries. Why has it completely changed its attitude when it comes to China's fight against terrorism?" he said. 

"They not only made irresponsible remarks and spread rumors, but even interfered in China's internal affairs. The reason lies in their double standards for counterterrorism," Abudrkmu said. 

"I have to reiterate that the history and facts of Xinjiang have clearly shown that any plot to distort the facts of the religious situation in Xinjiang, impair religious harmony and undermine the peaceful and happy life of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang is a total delusion," he said.