Mesut Özil has sparked controversy by posting on Instagram about the persecution of Uighur Muslims in China’s Xinjiang region, criticising other Muslims for remaining silent. The Arsenal midfielder detailed alleged abuses including the burning of Qurans, closure of mosques, and forced detention in camps.
Arsenal swiftly distanced themselves from the comments, releasing a statement on Chinese social media site Weibo emphasising the club’s apolitical stance. “The content published is Özil’s personal opinion,” the statement read. “As a football club, Arsenal has always adhered to the principle of not involving itself in politics.”
Özil’s post described the situation as “the bleeding wound of the Ummah” and accused Muslims of abandoning the Uighurs. It is not the first political intervention by the German midfielder, who previously faced criticism for posing with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was also best man at Ozil’s wedding.
Meanwhile, teammate Héctor Bellerín also made a political statement on Twitter, urging young people to vote in the UK general election with the hashtag #FuckBoris. The club did not issue a response to Bellerín’s comments.
