China slams Interpol for removing red notice against Uyghur activist

China today criticised Interpol's decision to lift a red notice against Dolkun Isa, a rights activist of Uyghur Muslim community in Xinjiang, whom Beijing accuses of being a terrorist.
China's reaction came after London-based rights group Fair Trials said Interpol had deleted a wanted alert, known as a red notice for Isa, who is the President of the Munich-based World Uyghur Congress.
A red notice is a request to locate and provisionally arrest an individual pending extradition. China has been pressing countries visited by Isa to extradite him based on the Interpol's red notice.
"We said that the person mentioned by you is suspected of committing crimes," Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a media briefing today when asked about Interpol's move to drop the notice against Isa.

The lookout notice was issued by Interpol following a request from China.
"As for the decision by Interpol we are dissatisfied with it. We hope the international community can follow the principle of mutual respect to enhance international cooperation. We will stay in close communication with the Interpol on this issue," Lu said.

Xinjiang has been restive for several years over protests from Turkic-origin Uygur Muslims over the massive influx of Han Chinese from other areas into the resource-rich province.
China blames East Turkistan Islamic Movement, an al-Qaeda linked militant group, for the large scale violence in the province and other parts of the country.

Reacting to China's comments, the World Uyghur Congress spokesman Dilxat Raxit said the accusations against Isa were purely political.
"China is unable to produce any actual evidence of its accusations against him, he said in a statement.