Uyghur Tribunal Vice Chair Interview

Okay, Mr. vetch, here we are in a church house in the second day of the week our tribunal. So how it is going so far? Well, it's gone very well. We've seen about 1516 witnesses, some fact witnesses and some expert witnesses. All the technology has worked, which is amazing. Yeah, we've had witnesses from Turkey and interpreters from the US witnesses from the US. So so far, so good. Okay. Let me ask you a question. What is the outcome? What do you try to achieve of the traveling, while we're simply seeking the truth, based on evidence, and on evidence alone? So once we've received all the evidence considered all the facts, will make a determination, in fact, and then in law, and then it'll be for

others to use that for whatever purposes they feel fit. And that may include governments, it may include corporations, it may include institutions, including academic art, and also may include private individuals. Yeah. So the outcome is just to

prepare a report for whoever wants to use it with politicians, with academics with whoever it will require, depending on the judgment, and we have no idea what the judgment is going to look like at the moment. It may require all those people to consider how they interact with the public. Okay.

To be honest with you, I didn't see much media. Is this intended, you did not want media to cover the tribunal. Although we had a lot of media. Did you look upstairs? Yeah. Well, I read a lot of revenge a lot of media coverage. We don't know whether, for example, Al Jazeera or an International House, there was a piece from Al Jazeera today. Yeah. Okay. Excellent. Excellent. Okay. I was worried that it was not fully covered by the international media. I know. A lot of you may have seen ITV coverage. Two days ago, BBC.

Okay. There is another question. I know that you're trying to be a critical question. But we need to be, you know, some people say that, why now? The weak, the weak us.

situation is a matter of concern for Western countries for American for the UK, but they have been suffering for ages. So is there any political reason behind it behind the the timing for this?

So we are completely non political, we have no interest in what politicians or anybody else does or doesn't do.

The timing for us is simply because we were invited by the world where you Congress to form this tribunal last year. And that's what we've done. And so they invited you to do it, and it would not be appropriate for us to start with this without an invitation from the weaker people. Okay, so far. So I think we have completed two days. So, so far, how do you see things going? Do you see that there was like, what we call genocide against the the meteors there? Or it is too early? It's we couldn't I couldn't possibly comment on that right now. And anyway, we we don't know yet. We have to see all the evidence and then we will consider the facts and then we will consider the law and then

that will be the appropriate moment. to, to, to disclose whatever it is, whatever Do you have someone from or represent the Chinese government? We've invited the PRC on four occasions so far to come and give evidence. So far, they have declined, but we will continue to climb. Yes. Well, no, they have not declined. They just haven't responded. So we have no idea. But we will continue to invite them and if they wish to come and give evidence, that will be very, very important to tribunals. Yeah. Because if we want to talk, I'm trained as a judge and I do judging so you need to listen to both sides, because someone might criticize you, because so far, the evidence that we have

heard is just one sided. So they might say, Well, wait, is it the other side? Yes, I will consider all evidence that comes our way and including from the People's Republic of China. Okay. I think I think any other question, I think that is very clear.

Chinese authorities indicated that they some somehow displeased or

speaking out against this or is it a complete kind of, as you know, they've sanctioned so

Geoffrey and the weaker tribunal. So, we of course,

make no judgment about that it makes no difference to the way we conduct this tribunal or indeed on the outcome.

Will there be any recommendation to the British government after this after the report?

We will make no recommendations there will be an overreach. So we will purely provide a judgement based on facts, evidence and law. After we are not advocates, we are absolutely not advocates nor are we activists. We are just an independent body, providing insofar as a impartial determination. Okay, I think that's okay. Thank you. Thank you very much. And we hope all the best. Thank you very much. Thank you. Good job. I think it was a long day. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very