Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday gave strong backing to British lawmakers and others sanctioned by China for speaking out in defence of the Uyghur Muslim minority. "The MPs and other British citizens sanctioned by China today are performing a vital role shining a light on the gross human rights violations being perpetrated against Uyghur Muslims," Johnson tweeted. "Freedom to speak out in opposition to abuse is fundamental and I stand firmly with them." jit/jj/wdb