China Gathering Blood, DNA, Iris Scans for Massive Database In Muslim Province...
CHINA GATHERING BLOOD, DNA AND IRIS SCANS FOR MASSIVE
DATABASE OF MILLIONS IN MUSLIM PROVINCE
BY CHRISTINA ZHAO ON 12/13/17 AT 7:26 AM
Chinese police have started gathering blood types, DNA
samples, fingerprints and iris scans from millions of people in its
Muslim-majority Xinjiang province to build a massive citizen database,
according to report by activist group Human Rights Watch (HRW).
The report, published Wednesday, said that officials are
collecting the data from citizens between the ages of 12 and 65 years old using
a variety of methods. Authorities are gathering DNA and blood types through
free medical checkups, and HRW said it is was unclear if patients were aware
that their biometric data was being collected for the police during these
physical exams.
According to the report, citizens authorities have
flagged as a potential threat to the regime, and their families—named “focus
personnel”—are forced to hand over their DNA regardless of age.
So far, 18.8 million citizens have participated in the
medical checkups, called “Physicals for All” by the government, according to an
article by a state news agency Xinhua on November 1.
“Xinjiang authorities should rename their physical exams
project ‘Privacy Violations for All,’ as informed consent and real choice does
not seem to be part of these programs,” said Sophie Richardson, China director
at HRW.
“The mandatory databanking of a whole population’s
biodata, including DNA, is a gross violation of international human rights
norms, and it’s even more disturbing if it is done surreptitiously, under the
guise of a free health care program,” she added.
The rights group is concerned about the data collection
as iris scans, DNA and blood type could be used for “surveillance of persons
because of ethnicity, religion, opinion or other protected exercise of rights
like free speech,” further adding to controls in a region some analysts have
dubbed an “open air prison.”
Xinjiang, a territory in northwest China, is a colossal
region of deserts and mountains and is known for being home to many ethnic
minority groups, including over 11 million Muslim Turkic Uighur people. Because
of this, Xinjiang has long been subject to tight control and intense levels of
surveillance not experienced elsewhere in China.
In April, police banned its citizens from wearing long
beards or veils in public, a move that activist groups saw as a means of
targeting the Muslim population in particular. Authorities also banned home
schooling and use of the Uighur language in schools, as well as introducing new
restrictions on downloading what it considered to be extremist materials.
The biometric collection scheme is detailed in an
official document that was posed in Xinjiang’s government website, with HRW
making an unofficial translation is available.
Comments
Post a Comment