Griezmann ends partnership with Huawei over their links to Uighur repression in China

French footballer Antoine Griezmann has decided to part ways with his long-term brand partner Huawei. There is a strong suspicion that China’s first global tech brand and the biggest maker of switching equipment used by phone and internet companies have contributed to the repression of the Uighur Muslims in China. According to media reports, it has been said that Huawei has tested facial recognition software intended to help China’s surveillance of the group.

The 29-year-old FC Barcelona forward has decided to make his decision public via his Instagram handle and wrote, “Following strong suspicions that the Huawei company has contributed to the development of a ‘Uighur alert’ thanks to facial recognition software, I am announcing the immediate termination of my partnership with the company. I take this opportunity to invite Huawei to not just deny these accusations,” he said, “but to take concrete actions as quickly as possible to condemn this mass repression, and to use its influence to contribute to the respect of human and women’s rights in society.” The global brand ambassador for this company, Griezmann, is also featured in many of their commercials worldwide.

According to an AP investigation, it was found that the Chinese Government was taking extreme measures to cut the population growth of these minorities as they were influencing many of China’s Han population to have more children.