Kazakhstan responds to house arrests by China

By Aliia Raimbekova

ASTANA, Kazakhstan (AA) - Kazakhstan on Monday responded to alleged house arrest of its citizens by Chinese authorities urging Beijing to be fair in its treatment.

“We call on the Chinese side to always act in accordance with law, objectively and with fairness,” said Aybek Smadiyarov, Kazakh Foreign Ministry spokesman, in a news conference referring to claims that Kazakhs were being put under house arrest in China’s Xinjiang province.

Stating that the situation was in control, he added: “We are in close cooperation with our Chinese partners.”

Smadiyarov noted that there were over 1.5 million Kazakhs living in China and they were being represented at government institutions, security units, science and commerce.

Kazakhs living in Xinjiang region are not able to go abroad as the local government does not issue them passports or other official documents.

The Chinese government has reportedly increased its pressure on Kazakhs in the fight against the East Turkestan independence movement, which started in 1997 to achieve the independence of the Uyghur Autonomous Region.