Malaysian minister criticised for Uighur camp visit

Malaysia's religious affairs minister came under fire Monday for describing a camp in China where ethnic Uighurs are held as a "vocational and training institution" during a visit.

Chinese authorities have placed an estimated one million mostly Muslim ethnic minorities in internment camps that Beijing claims are needed to steer people away from extremism.

On the seven-day trip to China last week, a picture was posted on Mujahid Yusof Rawa's Facebook page of people sitting at desks in a classroom.

The image, posted on June 26, showed a "visit to a vocational and training institution" for the ethnic Uighur community in Xinjiang region, according to the post's description.

Amnesty International said it was "deeply disappointed" at Mujahid's remarks.

Uighurs and other minorities held in the camps "are subjected to forced political indoctrination, renunciation of their faith, mistreatment, and, in some cases, torture," said Shamini Darshni Kaliemuthu, Amnesty International Malaysia's ...