Photo taken on April 25, 2020 shows the scenery of the Tianchi lake of Tianchi scenic area in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Sadat)

The so-called fasting ban during Ramadan is "sheer nonsense" and rumor, and was made up by "East Turkistan" forces abroad with the purpose of sowing discord among ethnic groups, disrupting ethnic relations and inciting ethnic antagonism, a senior official from Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region told a press conference on Monday. 

Some overseas separatists and anti-China organizations claimed that Xinjiang had banned Muslims from fasting during Ramadan. The World Uyghur Congress, a US-backed network that seeks the fall of the Chinese government, released a series of video clips alleging Uygurs in Xinjiang "are subject to persecution in Ramadan." 

Mehmut Wusman, director of the Xinjiang Regional Ethnic Affairs Commission, told a press conference on Monday that the fasting ban allegations were made by "East Turkistan" forces abroad and are sheer nonsense. Every Ramadan, they make and spread such rumors, which have been debunked, and only seek to attack Xinjiang.

The so-called "persecution videos of Uygurs in the month of fasting" released by the WUC are nothing but a patchwork of falsehoods, intending to sow discord among our ethnic groups, disrupt the ethnic relationship and incite ethnic antagonism. The intentions they harbor are extremely vicious, Mehmut said. 

The official noted that Xinjiang fully implements the policy of freedom of religious belief. Religious believers and non-believers enjoy equal rights politically, economically, culturally and in social life. Believing or not believing in a religion is every citizen's independent choice. 

"Believers' legal religious activities either performed at religious venues or at home according to habitual practice, such as prayers, fasting, and religious festivities, are managed by religious groups or believers themselves and protected by law, allowing no interference by any organization or individual," he said.