American basketballer Enes Kanter has doubled down on his criticism of the Chinese government, posting a video calling attention to the human rights abuses suffered by the Uyghur people.

It comes amid a backlash over his call for Tibetan independence, which has seen China remove broadcasts of all Boston Celtics NBA games.

The Celtics player said: “There is a genocide happening right now. Right now as I speak this message.

Heartless Dictator of China,
XI JINPING and the Communist Party of China.

I am calling you out in front of the whole world.
Close down the SLAVE labor camps and free the UYGHUR people!

Stop the GENOCIDE, now!#FreeUyghurs pic.twitter.com/eEoiw5Uz2K

“Torture, rape, forced abortions and sterilisations, family separations, arbitrary detentions, concentration camps, political re-education and forced labour.”

There have been widespread reports of China oppressing and breaching the human rights of the Uyghur people in its western Xinjiang province.

Chinas said these claims are “baseless” and has repeatedly denied any mistreatment.

Kanter – who earlier this week spoke out against the “cultural genocide” in Tibet – labelled China’s leader, Xi Jinping a “heartless dictator”.

Haiti: ‘I will put a bullet in the heads of these Americans’ – Gang leader behind kidnap demands ransom in video

Ethiopia: Airstrikes in Tigray force UN flight to abandon landing and turn back, aid workers say

Afghanistan: Musicians are desperate to flee following the Taliban takeover – this is why

“All of us must spread the word and call on the Chinese government to free the Uyghur people,” he said.

He singled out the leaders of Muslim-majority countries, criticising them for “staying silent”.

He said: “I’m talking about you, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, Saudi King Salman, United Arab Emirates Mohammed bin Zayed, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.

“It’s shameful and sad how you’ve decided to prioritise money and business with China over human rights. You call yourselves Muslims but you are just using that for show. You simply do not care about people.”

He said the same went for his fellow Muslim athletes, asking: “Why are you staying silent?

“Mohammed Salah, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Amir Khan… Say something. Do something. Speak up. Your silence, your inaction is complicit.”

On Thursday, Chinese tech giant Tencent cut its stream of a game between the Celtics and the New York Knicks, and social media was filled with legions of fans expressing their dismay.

A Celtics fan page on Weibo, a Twitter-like service, wrote: “Any information on the team will cease to appear on this Weibo. Any behaviour that undermines the harmony of the nation and the dignity of the motherland, we resolutely resist!”

Kanter’s name also appeared to be blocked on Weibo.

In 2019, the manager of the Houston Rockets, Daryl Morey, tweeted his support for protesters in Hong Kong – a statement much less provocative than Kanter’s.

Tencent severed ties with the Rockets, as did the Chinese Basketball Association.

Morey later deleted his tweet but the fallout continues to this day.

Related posts:

Disaster declared in Texas as rare winter storm sees temperatures plummet to -5C George Floyd: Police officers investigated after ‘you take my breath away’ Valentine report Olympic champion ‘wouldn’t let daughter become gymnast’ after abuse scandal Tiger Woods back home ‘working on getting stronger every day’ after horror crash Police launch investigation after mural of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd vandalised Cosby’s supporters celebrate his freedom, but many don’t believe he is innocent Ice hockey player killed after firework hits him in the chest at Fourth of July party Biden urges states to offer cash to people to get COVID vaccinations Strained US-China relations make climate talks more difficult, John Kerry admits At least eight dead in crowd surge during Travis Scott concert Travis Scott sued after crowd surge tragedy – with more than a dozen lawsuits filed Police move in on truckers protesting at US-Canada border after injunction issued