A rare insider testimony reveals how China tries to hide state violence in Xinjiang.

By Adrian Zenz, published by Foreign Policy

For the original version of this article, go to the publisher’s website here.

In Brief by Probe International

In early 2023, local authorities in Xinjiang, China, received orders to enforce quotas for the short-term detention of Uyghur residents. Reminiscent of the state-led mass internment campaign that occurred from 2017 to 2019 in the same region, targeting Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities, this new directive mandated the detention of individuals for minor infractions, such as missing state ceremonies or possessing fitness equipment, with the intent to instill fear and ensure total submission to state control.

Former police officer Zhang Yabo provides a rare insider testimony on how the Chinese government has recalibrated its oppressive tactics, shifting from overt mass internment to more clandestine forms of coercion that are harder to detect.

Initially serving as a correctional officer, Zhang reveals a harrowing account of his experiences from 2014 to 2023, during which time he witnessed severe abuses, including “abysmal” conditions, torture, and the deaths of detainees with “alarming frequency,” during the height of the mass internment campaign. He later worked as a village police officer, where he transferred Uyghurs from reeducation camps to detention centers, with many subsequently imprisoned. Zhang estimates that around 25% of the adult population in his village was interned, and he observed local officials hiding the actual extent of these detentions.

Zhang’s testimony reveals a systematic approach to the brutality, including forced labor and the destruction of records related to internment. After resigning and fleeing the country in late 2023, Zhang faced accusations from Chinese authorities of endangering national security. His insights highlight a troubling continuity in Xinjiang’s renewed repression—an evolution from overt violence to more insidious forms of control, coinciding with a shift in Xi Jinping’s rhetoric towards increased regional securitization.