- China is terrorizingmillions of Uyghur Muslims,

locking them in so-calledre-education camps

and forcing them todenounce their religion.

This week, the president isexpected to sign legislation

that punishes Chinese officialsfor these heinous acts.

A new member of the U.S. Commission

on International Religious Freedom

was instrumental in making it happen,

and as Jennifer Wishon tellsus, for him, it's personal.

(air whooshing)

- That's right, the newest commissioner

appointed to the commissionis a Uyghur Muslim

who was actually born ina prison camp in Kashgar,

during which time his motherwas forced to deliver him

while wearing a cast from the chest down.

No doubt, he and his family

understand religiouspersecution firsthand.

And Commissioner Nury Turkel joins me now.

Sir, tell us, what is life like

for the millions of Uyghurswho are currently forced

to live in these re-educationcamps in eastern China,

also known as East Turkestan?

- Thank you very much for having me.

The Chinese government, sinceApril 2017 in particular,

has created an open-airprison-like situation

for the people who are not in the camp.

But according to the credible reports,

based on open-source government data

published on Chinese sources,

their estimated numberof people being locked up

is up to three million,which is four times

the size of the populationin District of Columbia.

China's government has been punishing,

implementing a collectivepunishment of the Uyghur people

because the Uyhgurreligion, Uyhgur identity,

have been perceived bythe Chinese government

as a national security threat.

They said they're doingthis under the guise of

or for the purposes ofachieving social stability,

national security, but you don't lock up

well-known scholars,religious leaders, athletes,

mothers and children,students, soccer players,

in a modern-day concentration camps

to achieve national security.

- So, when we talk aboutthe Jewish Holocaust,

we often say "Never Again."

Never again will we allow this to happen

but it sounds like what you're saying

is that "Never Again" ishappening right now to Uyghurs.

- The Holocaust Museum recently recognized

that crimes againsthumanity is being committed

against Uyhgur people.

This is 2020, peopleshould not be published

based on what they worship for,

what kind of lifestyle that they maintain.

And what kind of peoplethat they're married to.

The Chinese governmenteven forcing Uyhgur woman

to marry to ethnic Chinese individuals,

with incentives and evensome instances, threats.

- Wow.

Well, the Uyhgur Human Rights Policy Act

calls for financialsanctions, visa bans against

Chinese government officialswho are responsible for this,

along with some additional monitoring

by the State Department and the FBI.

Will this make a difference?

- Absolutely, this is thefirst time a legislative body

around the world in Uyhgur's human history

passed a significant bill toaddress Uyhgur's political,

economic, social, and religious rights.

And I commend as an American,

I'm a naturalized U.S. citizen,

I think this shows the best of my country.

- Is the plight of Uyhgurssomething that Christians

should also be concerned about?

- Yes, absolutely, andalso this is something

that I'm very comfortablesharing in public.

Since the crisis come to surface,

we've been receiving anenormous amount of support

from the Christian communities,Jewish communities,

but what is lacking isthe other faiths group.

They also should speak out.

And no one should be persecuted

for their religious practices,it's a God-given right.

People should be able to practice,

and it's a matter of privacy.

And government should have no business

in people's privacy when they worshiping

and when they pray.

- Commissioner Turkel, thank you so much

for sharing with us and best wishes to you

as you begin your work on the commission.

- Thank you very much for having me.

(air whooshing)