Journalists Who Traveled to East Turkistan Were Shocked

Journalists from the internationally renowned broadcasting organization ABC Television, invited by China to East Turkistan, exposed China's oppressive policies in the region, clearly stating that there is no freedom in the area.
ABC, the national broadcast channel of Australia, visited East Turkistan along with international media organizations upon China's invitation.
THE REALITIES IN EAST TURKISTAN
The ABC team, visiting only places under China's control and permission, reported that after years of ruthless repression by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), China is trying to turn East Turkistan into a tourism destination. In a special report published by ABC on September 30, 2023, it was noted that East Turkistan has been isolated from the world due to China's pressures. The report emphasized that the repression in East Turkistan has been documented since Xi Jinping's so-called "hardline attack" order against terrorism during his visit to East Turkistan in 2014.
CHINA-ORGANIZED TOUR
ABC also touched upon China's Uyghur genocide policy and mentioned that the United States labeled it "genocide," but Australia did not use the term "genocide." Furthermore, ABC's team participated in a media tour meticulously organized by the Chinese government, but no officials were willing to be recorded, as reported.
The ABC reporter mentioned spending a week under tight scrutiny by Chinese authorities, stating, "The tour, which lasted for a week and included approximately 20 journalists from around the world, was closely controlled, and we had very little time within the packed schedule to speak with local people. Our request to visit one of the former detention camps, believed to have held over a million people for months, if not years, was denied by our Chinese hosts."
"EVERY WORD OF SPEAKERS WAS RECORDED."
Furthermore, during the tour, the ABC journalist conducted an interview with a Uyghur Turk souvenir vendor in the region. The journalist mentioned, "This interview was not provided by the tour guides. When we started interviewing him, another man we didn't know appeared with a camera, stood beside us, and recorded every answer he gave."
The ABC team recounted their visit to the Heytgah Mosque in Kashgar, stating, "The Chinese flag flies over the diminishing mosque dome in the wind. The call to prayer has been silenced. It's nearly impossible to see long beards and veils. We wanted to buy a Quran, and we couldn't find anyone who knew where to get one. The 600-year-old Heytgah Mosque, with a capacity for 5,000 worshippers, is now primarily a tourist attraction. Our guides initially didn't want us to enter, but they eventually allowed it. On the day we visited, a few dozen people had come to pray. Most of them were elderly, and none were under the age of 50," revealing the extent of Chinese repression in Kashgar.
Peter Irwin, the Deputy Director of Research and Advocacy at the Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP), noted that China has restricted religious freedoms in East Turkistan and detained imams. He also mentioned that UHRP has documented the demolition of thousands of mosques and the cases of nearly 2,000 Uyghur imams and other religious figures who have been detained or gone missing. Irwin stated, "Imams have either been removed from their positions, detained, or imprisoned. The remaining imams are only allowed to deliver sermons that directly align with what the Chinese government dictates. In other words, there is no religious freedom whatsoever, and it has largely been replaced by a consumer-oriented attitude for tourists."