Apple Supplier Accused Of Using Forced Uighur Muslims Labour In China

Another report has surfaced revealing unethical labour practices at the facilities of one of Apple¡¯s suppliers -- this time it¡¯s Lens Technology which was found using forced labour involving Uighur Muslim workers in China.

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This was exposed in a report by the Tech Transparency Project, which was later shared with the Washington Post, which accused Lens Technology of using thousands of Uighur labourers who were forced to work in factories predominantly from China¡¯s Xinjiang region.

The company has been a renowned supplier for not just Apple but also brands like Amazon, Motorola, Tesla and others, making components like cover glass, touch sensor modules, camera lenses etc.

Katie Paul, Director at Tech Transparency Project claims in her report, ¡°Our research shows that Apple¡¯s use of forced labour in its supply chain goes far beyond what the company has acknowledged.¡±

Apple, in a statement to The Washington Post, has stated through its spokesperson Josh Rosenstock that they haven¡¯t received any labour transfer of Uighur workers from Xinjian while also claiming that none of their suppliers is sourcing Uighur labour transferred from the aforementioned region.

Reuters

He said, ¡°Apple has zero-tolerance for forced labour. Looking for the presence of forced labour is part of every supplier assessment we conduct, including surprise audits. These protections apply across the supply chain, regardless of a person¡¯s job or location. Any violation of our policies has immediate consequences, including possible business termination. As always, our focus is on making sure everyone is treated with dignity and respect, and we will continue doing all we can to protect workers in our supply chain.¡±

These claims have also been denied by the Chinese government. China¡¯s foreign ministry has revealed to the Washington Post that forced labour in China is ¡®nonexistent¡¯.

Reuters

However, the TTP report (highlighted by the Verge) cites reports by Chinese state media Global times that show Lens Technology was sent thousands of workers from Xinjiang to work in factories in Hunan province under the garb of ¡®poverty alleviation¡¯ programme.

In fact, the report also shows a video named ¡®Lens Tech Uighurs Celebrating National Day¡¯ that shows hundreds of workers on the ground outside the facility, holding banners that indicate their origin from Xinjiang and their employment at Lens Technology.