In a bid to combat sporadic violence allegedly caused by Islamic militants , the Chinese government has begun the confiscation of passports from citizens in the Western region of Xinjiang . With human rights activists resisting the demand , current regulations mean that people from the region must apply for permission to leave the country before they can gain access to their passports . Human Rights Watch has criticised the move as a violation of freedom of movement .
In a move to combat sporadic violence allegedly caused by Islamic militants, the Chinese government has begun the confiscation of passports from people in the Western region of Xinjiang. With human rights groups criticising the demand, current regulations mean that people from the region must apply for permission to leave the country before they can regain access to their passports. Human Rights Watch has criticised the move as a violation of freedom of movement.