United Nations Aug 31 (IANS) The UN has said it is alarmed by reports of the mass detention of Uighurs in China and called for the release of those held on a counter terrorism "pretext".
This comes after a UN committee heard reports that up to one million Muslim Uighurs in Xinjiang were held in re-education camps Xinhua news agency reported.
Beijing has denied the allegations but admitted that some religious extremists were being held for re-education.
China has blamed Islamist militants and separatists for unrest in the province.
During a review earlier in August members of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination said credible reports suggested Beijing had "turned the Uighur autonomous region into something that resembles a massive internment camp".
China responded that Uighurs enjoyed full rights but Beijing made a rare admission that "those deceived by religious extremism... shall be assisted by resettlement and re-education".

--IANS in/