MASS SCALE

Satellite Images Reveal China Has Built at Least 380 Internment Camps in Xinjiang

More and more of the camps, which are used to detain Uighurs and people from other Muslim minorities, are being built.

Satellite images have revealed that China has built at least 380 internment camps in the Xinjiang region—over 100 more than were previously thought to exist. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute think tank obtained the latest imaging which reveals the full extent of the network of camps in China’s far west—which are used to detain Uighurs and people from other Muslim minorities—and shows that 14 are still under construction. The findings contradict claims from Beijing authorities that their “re-education” system was winding down, with ASPI researcher Nathan Ruser telling The Guardian: “The evidence in this database shows that despite Chinese officials’ claims about detainees graduating from the camps, significant investment in the construction of new detention facilities has continued throughout 2019 and 2020.” The group also used accounts from survivors to help them identify the growing number of camps.