An Australian institute has claimed China has constructed about 400 internment camps in Xinjiang region, with dozens of such facilities continuing for the last two years. 

The latest satellite images procured the Australian Strategic Policy Institute revealed 380 detention centres set up across the region since 2017, as reported by The Guardian.

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It identified 14 such prisons which China describes as “re-education”, which are still under construction. 

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The institute said these camps range from lowest security re-education camps to fortified prisons.

“The evidence in this database shows that despite Chinese officials’ claims about detainees graduating from the camps, significant investment in the construction of new detention facilities has continued throughout 2019 and 2020,” said Nathan Ruser, a researcher from ASPI. 

If the findings are true, these camps are 100 more than what was revealed by previous investigations and now researchers believe most of these detention centres have been identified now.

In a Xinjiang Data Project, a database that can be accessed publicly, all the information about these camps, including their coordinates have been shared. 

The camps were identified through details shared by survivors, satellite images and other projects tracking these centres.