Active Stocks
Thu Mar 28 2024 15:59:33
  1. Tata Steel share price
  2. 155.90 2.00%
  1. ICICI Bank share price
  2. 1,095.75 1.08%
  1. HDFC Bank share price
  2. 1,448.20 0.52%
  1. ITC share price
  2. 428.55 0.13%
  1. Power Grid Corporation Of India share price
  2. 277.05 2.21%
Business News/ News / World/  Twitter locks account of Chinese embassy in US over post on Uighur women
BackBack

Twitter locks account of Chinese embassy in US over post on Uighur women

The Chinese Embassy account, @ChineseEmbinUS, took to Twitter posting a tweet this month that said that Uighur women were no longer 'baby making machines'

A Twitter logo is seen outside the company headquarters in San Francisco, California, US. (REUTERS)Premium
A Twitter logo is seen outside the company headquarters in San Francisco, California, US. (REUTERS)

Twitter has locked the official account of the Chinese Embassy to the US for a tweet that defended the Beijing government's policies in the Xinjiang region, where critics say China is engaged in the forced sterilisation of minority Uighur women.

The Chinese Embassy account, @ChineseEmbinUS, took to Twitter posting a tweet this month that said that Uighur women were no longer "baby making machines," citing a study reported by state-backed newspaper China Daily.

Also Read | The fear of flying at Mount 50K

The US social media platform said the tweet, which was originally shared on 7 January, violated the firm's policy against "dehumanisation".

The tweet was removed by Twitter and replaced by a label stating that it was no longer available. Although Twitter hides tweets that violate its policies, it requires account owners to manually delete such posts.

The Chinese embassy's account has not posted any new tweets since 9 January.

Twitter's suspension of the embassy's account came a day after the Trump administration, in its final hours, accused China of committing genocide in Xinjiang, a finding endorsed by the incoming Biden administration.

The move is the latest in a series of escalating steps Twitter has taken in recent weeks to enforce its policies.

The Biden administration did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Twitter's move.

"We've taken action on the Tweet you referenced for violating our policy against dehumanization, where it states: We prohibit the dehumanization of a group of people based on their religion, caste, age, disability, serious disease, national origin, race, or ethnicity," a Twitter spokesperson said on Thursday.

The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to an e-mailed request for comment. Twitter is blocked in China but is an increasingly favored platform by China's diplomats and state media.

China has repeatedly rejected accusations of abuse in its Xinjiang region, where a United Nations panel has said at least 1 million Uighurs and other Muslims had been detained in camps.

On Tuesday, then-acting US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that China's actions against Uighur minorities amounted to "genocide," a label that his successor Antony Blinken agreed with during his confirmation hearings this week. China has maintained that it is fighting separatism and extremism in the region, where the United Nations has estimated up to 1 million Uighurs may be held in camps.

Last year, a report by German researcher Adrian Zenz published by the Washington-based Jamestown Foundation think tank accused China of using forced sterilization, forced abortion and coercive family planning against minority Muslims. The Chinese foreign ministry said the allegations were groundless and false.

Twitter's move also follows the removal of the account of former US President Donald Trump, which had 88 million followers, citing the risk of violence after his supporters stormed the US Capitol this month.

Twitter had locked Trump's account, asking for deletion of some tweets, before restoring it and then removing it altogether after the former president violated the platform's policies again.

With agency inputs

Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!

Catch all the Business News, Market News, Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
More Less
Published: 21 Jan 2021, 10:56 AM IST
Next Story footLogo
Recommended For You
Switch to the Mint app for fast and personalized news - Get App