Bad mistake by Ankara not to fact-check claims

Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy seemed to be telling tales from the Arabian Nights when he accused China of "serious human rights violations" in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. In a statement on Saturday, he particularly tried to demonize China's counter-terrorism efforts in the region, calling the education facilities the government has set up there "internment camps and prisons" that are used for the purpose of "systematic assimilation".

It is a pity that Ankara has resorted to presenting misinformation, misconceptions, and even complete lies, in making such groundless and irresponsible allegations. The Turkish spokesman revealed how spurious the allegations were, when he mentioned in his statement the "tragic" death of Uygur musician Abdurehim Heyit, who, in fact, is still alive and in good health in prison, where he is serving an eight year sentence for jeopardizing national security.

Since the 1990s, terrorists, separatists and extremists in Xinjiang and abroad have plotted and conducted thousands of terrorist attacks in the region and the rest of the country, killing a large number of innocent people and hundreds of police officers. The establishment of education facilities including vocational training centers in Xinjiang is part of the central government's comprehensive efforts to fight the three evil forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism, which are common enemies of humanity.