Chinese genomics company, BGI Group, has distanced itself from human rights abuses days after the United States government sanctioned one of the world’s biggest genetics analysis companies for its role in civilian surveillance.

Last week, the United States sanctioned multiple Chinese companies, including three BGI units and were added to an “entity list” preventing them from accessing American technology on security or human rights grounds. The Commerce Department stated BGI technology might contribute to surveillance.

The three BGI Group units sanctioned by the government are BGI Research, Forensic Genomics International and BGI Tech Solutions (Hongkong) Co., Ltd.

The company has always denied any form of involvement of its technology in surveilling Uyghurs or other Muslim minorities, reiterating its services are only for civilian and scientific purposes.

With their inclusion in the “entity list” – the three BGI units and other sanctioned companies would require government permission to buy sensitive U.S. technology.

China has been accused by the United Nations, the United States and its western allies of human rights violations of the Uyghurs Muslim population and other Chinese minorities in the country in which accusations of forced imprisonment in labour camps and brainwashing them of their identity have been made against the Chinese authorities.

The recent sanctions came after Activists claimed Beijing is trying to create a database of genetic information from Muslims and other Chinese minorities, many such claims that the Chinese government has always denied.

As per VOA, BGI, which has its headquarters in the southern city of Shenzhen, said in an email on Sunday: the U.S. sanction “may have been impacted by misinformation, and we are willing and able to clarify. 

“BGI Group does not condone and would never be involved in any human rights abuses,” the company said.

In response to the latest set of sanctions on China entities, the Chinese government accused the United States of improperly attacking companies of the East Asia country’s origin.