Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter doubled down Friday on his criticisms of communist China, calling out President Xi Jinping over the government’s treatment of the Uyghurs.
“Heartless Dictator of China, XI JINPING and the Communist Party of China. I am calling you out in front of the whole world,” Kanter tweeted. “Close down the SLAVE labor camps and free the UYGHUR people! Stop the GENOCIDE, now!” (RELATED: ‘Brutal Dictator’: NBA Player Rips The Chinese Government With Powerful Comments)
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
— Enes Kanter (@EnesKanter) October 22, 2021
Kanter included a video of himself, wearing a shirt emblazoned with the words “Freedom for Uyghurs,” and listing a number of ways in which the Chinese government had oppressed the Muslim minority group.
“Torture, rape, forced abortions and sterilizations. Family separations. Arbitrary detentions. Concentration camps. Political reeducation. Forced labor. This is all happening right now,” Kanter said.
“The Uyghur region has become an open-air prison and surveillance state where freedoms are non-existent for the Uyghur people,” he continued, adding that the Chinese government had systematically oppressed other Muslim groups as well, all because they did not exactly align with the Communist Party.
He called on others to stand with him against the “unimaginable human rights abuses” that continued under China’s government.
Several hours later, he followed with another tweet, saying, “To those of you who care about human dignity: Please join me in spreading the word. What is happening to the Uyghurs is one of the WORST human rights abuses in the world today. We can NOT stay silent!”
To those of you who care about human dignity:
Please join me in spreading the word.
What is happening to the Uyghurs is one of the WORST human rights abuses in the world today.We can NOT stay silent!#FreedomShoes#FreeUyghurs pic.twitter.com/8Bjr4FiWR9
— Enes Kanter (@EnesKanter) October 22, 2021
Kanter had previously called out the Chinese government over Tibet, saying, “Dear Brutal Dictator XI JINPING and the Chinese Government. Tibet belongs to the Tibetan people!”
Dear Brutal Dictator XI JINPING and the Chinese Government
Tibet belongs to the Tibetan people!#FreeTibet pic.twitter.com/To4qWMXK56
— Enes Kanter (@EnesKanter) October 20, 2021
More than 150 Tibetan people have burned themselves alive!! — hoping that such an act would raise more awareness about Tibet.
I stand with my Tibetan brothers and sisters, and I support their calls for Freedom.#FreeTibet #FreedomShoes pic.twitter.com/MKxfs1l7GA
— Enes Kanter (@EnesKanter) October 20, 2021
Kanter’s comments prompted NBA partner Tencent Sports to stop streaming Celtics games in China, even marking previous games unavailable for replay.