iPhone longtime supplier accused of using forced Uighur Muslim labor in China
Beijing: Documents uncovered by a human rights group has revealed and accused one of the oldest and reputed suppliers of Apple’s iPhones of using forced Muslim labor in its factories.
The document discovered by the Tech Transparency Project and shared exclusively with The Washington Post reveals thousands of Uighur workers mostly hailing from the Muslim region of Xinjiang were forced to work for Lens Technology.
Lens Technology is one of at least five companies connected to Apple's supply chain that has now been linked to alleged forced labor from the Xinjiang region, according to human rights groups. Lens Technology stands out from other Apple component suppliers because of its high-profile founder and long, well-documented history going back to the early days of the iPhone.
Lens also supplies Amazon and Tesla, according to its annual report.
"Our research shows that Apple's use of forced labor in its supply chain goes far beyond what the company has acknowledged," said Katie Paul, director of the Tech Transparency Project.
Apple, however, categorically rejected the claims and said that Lens Technology has not received any labor transfers of Uighur workers from Xinjiang. Josh Rosenstock, Apple spokesman added that Apple has ensured that none of its other suppliers are using Uighur labor transferred from Xinjiang.
Looking for the presence of forced labor 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" Rosenstock said.
Lens Technology however did not respond to requests for comment according to The Washington Post.
In response to faxed questions from The Post, the Foreign Ministry in Beijing called forced labor in China "nonexistent" and accused people with "ulterior motives" of fabricating it. It said a number of companies had hired auditors to conduct investigations, which "confirmed the nonexistence of 'forced labor.'" It did not name the companies.
"Apple claims to take extraordinary measures to monitor its supply chain for such problems, but the evidence we found was openly available on the Internet," said Paul of the Tech Transparency Project.
Xinjiang, in the far reaches of Western China bordering Afghanistan, Pakistan, and other Muslim-majority countries, is facing a brutal crackdown by China's government, which has placed more than a million Muslims in concentration camps or forced them to work in factories making everything from cotton to soft drinks to electronics.
Some Uighur workers have told human rights groups that they were given a choice between taking a job in a far-flung factory and being sent to a detention center. In some cases, workers have said that when they "accept" the job, they live in heavily guarded campuses and are rarely allowed to leave. In the evenings, when their shifts end, the Uighur workers say they are forced to take lessons in communist propaganda. Whether the Uighurs are paid, and exactly how much, is unclear.
Some of these labor transfers sent workers to Lens Technology campuses in Hunan, according to an August 2019 article in the Global Times of China.
In a previous report, the Tech Transparency Project alleged the cotton T-shirts worn by Apple Store employees were also sourced from forced labor in Xinjiang. Rosenstock has said Apple doesn't receive shirts from Xinjiang, but would not say whether the company ever did in the past.
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New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemns US-Israel strike on Iran, calls it “catastrophic escalation”
New York: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Saturday described the US- and Israel-led strikes on Iran as a “catastrophic escalation.”
Condemning the military action in a post on X, he wrote, “Today’s military strikes on Iran — carried out by the United States and Israel — mark a catastrophic escalation in an illegal war of aggression. Bombing cities. Killing civilians. Opening a new theater of war.”
Stating that Americans do not want war, he further wrote, “Americans do not want this. They do not want another war in pursuit of regime change. They want relief from the affordability crisis. They want peace.”
Addressing safety concerns in New York City amid the escalation, the mayor said steps were being taken to protect residents. “I am focused on making sure that every New Yorker is safe. I have been in contact with our Police Commissioner and emergency management officials. We are taking proactive steps, including increasing coordination across agencies and enhancing patrols of sensitive locations out of an abundance of caution,” he said.
Mamdani also addressed Iranian New Yorkers, assuring them of protection. “Additionally, I want to speak directly to Iranian New Yorkers: you are part of the fabric of this city — you are our neighbors, small business owners, students, artists, workers, and community leaders. You will be safe here,” he added.
Today’s military strikes on Iran — carried out by the United States and Israel — mark a catastrophic escalation in an illegal war of aggression. Bombing cities. Killing civilians. Opening a new theater of war. Americans do not want this. They do not want another war in pursuit…
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) February 28, 2026
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