AsianFin -- The Canadian government has directed Chinese surveillance technology giant Hikvision (002415.SZ) to cease its operations in the country, citing national security risks, according to a statement by Industry Minister Melanie Joly late Friday.

Hikvision, formally known as Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co., has been under mounting international scrutiny, particularly from the United States, which has imposed a series of sanctions and restrictions on the company over the past five years.

The measures stem from concerns about Hikvision’s alleged involvement in human rights violations in China’s Xinjiang region, where rights organizations have reported systemic abuses against Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities.