A call has been made for the Government to “immediately condemn the barbaric measures being used by the Chinese Government to slash the Uighur Muslim population in China”. Aontú Leader & Meath West TD Peadar Tóibín said the campaign has been labelled a ‘demographic genocide’ by international experts.

He has circulated a letter calling on an Taoiseach to speak out on China’s policy and to lobby other nations to do so as well. This letter has received the support of several TDs and Senators from parties and independents all across the political spectrum.

In the letter, Deputy Tóibín said: “We are deeply concerned about the ‘detention camps’ to which women are being sent if they have more than the ‘permitted’ number of children”.

“News outlets are now reporting that China has subjected ‘hundreds of thousands of women’ to forced pregnancy tests, forced birth control, sterilisation and forced abortions”.

“We are deeply concerned at drone footage that shows hundreds of men and women being led blindfolded onto trains. We are very concerned at reports of men and women being detained without charge or conviction for indefinite lengths of time in “thought transformation camps”.

“We are asking the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister Coveney, to urgently intervene and make Ireland’s opposition to this torture known. We feel it would also be beneficial if the Irish government were to lobby other western and European countries to join us in condemning these practices”.