World Uyghur Congress | Press Releases

A Statement of Solidarity from a Tibetan, Uyghur, Southern Mongolian, and Chinese Activists

Posted on December 9, 2016, in Civil Society News Other Parties Press Releases Uyghur Related News WUC

International Tibet Network, 9 December 2016

International Tibet Network — In 2016, for those under China’s rule, freedoms have continued on a steep downward spiral. 2016 has been a year of tumultuous, global social injustices and human rights violations. From Syria to Brazil, Russia to Burundi, governments around the world have openly broken fundamental, international laws that exist to protect the freedoms of people around the world, and give them justice.

Continue Reading →

Conference on the founding of the Ilham Tohti Initiative

Posted on December 8, 2016, in Conference German Government Human Rights Defenders News Other Parties Political Prisoners Press Releases Uyghur Related News

Ilham Tohti Initiative, 8 December 2016

Ilham Tohti Initiative — Panelists will discuss the current situation of the Uyghurs in the Autonomous Region of Xinjiang (East Turkestan) and the possibility of a peaceful solution to the ethnic tensions on the basis of Ilham Tohti’s ideas.

Invited participants are regional and federal politicians as well as representatives of the European Parliament, various foreign representatives and human rights activists.

Continue Reading →

World Uyghur Congress Confronts Obstacles at UN Forum on Minority Issues

Posted on December 1, 2016, in Press Releases United Nations WUC

Press Release – For immediate release
1 December 2016
Contact: World Uyghur Congress www.uyghurcongress.org
0049 (0) 89 5432 1999 or contact@uyghurcongress.org

From November 24-25, the World Uyghur Congress attended the 9^th UN Forum on Minority Issues in order to advocate for the Uyghur population in East Turkestan. Despite not standing as a minority in the region of East Turkestan, the WUC finds the Forum useful in engaging with different stakeholders including civil society and state representatives to the UN in Geneva. The Uyghur population stood around 83 percent in 1945, but has since been seriously diluted and now stands at an estimated 46 percent today.

Continue Reading →

WUC Deeply Concerned About Election of Meng Hongwei as Interpol President

Posted on November 11, 2016, in Human Rights Defenders Press Releases WUC

Press Release – For immediate release
11 November 2016
Contact: World Uyghur Congress www.uyghurcongress.org
0049 (0) 89 5432 1999 or contact@uyghurcongress.org

The World Uyghur Congress is very concerned about the recent election of China’s former Vice-Minister for Public Security, Meng Hongwei, as president of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) on Thursday. The move will likely embolden the Chinese government to continue to leverage the organization as a means of silencing critics and quelling dissent.

Continue Reading →

World Uyghur Congress Releases New Report on the Use of Forced Labour in East Turkestan

Posted on November 10, 2016, in Labor Rights News Reports Uyghur Related News World Uyghur Congress WUC

Press Release – For immediate release
10 November 2016
Contact: World Uyghur Congress www.uyghurcongress.org
0049 (0) 89 5432 1999 or contact@uyghurcongress.org

The World Uyghur Congress has released a new report, Forced Labour in East Turkestan: State-Sanctioned Hashar System, detailing the continued use of forced labour among with Uyghur population in East Turkestan. China has been imposing forced labour on the Uyghur community primarily in the region’s southern prefectures, despite China officially abolishing the similar practice of “re-education through labour” back in November 2013.

Continue Reading →

The World Uyghur Congress Raises Strong Concerns Over the Confiscation of Passports

Posted on October 21, 2016, in Freedom of Movement Press Releases WUC

Press Release – For immediate release
21 October 2016
Contact: World Uyghur Congress www.uyghurcongress.org
0049 (0) 89 5432 1999 or contact@uyghurcongress.org

The World Uyghur Congress strongly condemns the recent decision by a number of counties in East Turkestan (officially Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region) to confiscate passports from Uyghur residents in the area.[1] Photos of a number of posted notices have surfaced from at least four different counties stating that Uyghur residents must promptly turn in their passports to Chinese regional authorities. No clear explanation for the policy has been announced, but follows from a number of other concerning efforts to restrict free movement within East Turkestan and elsewhere.

Continue Reading →

Imprisoned Uyghur Scholar, Ilham Tohti, Wins Prestigious Human Rights Award

Posted on October 12, 2016, in Civil Society News Press Releases Uyghur Related News WUC

Press Release – For immediate release
12 October 2016
Contact: World Uyghur Congress www.uyghurcongress.org
0049 (0) 89 5432 1999 or contact@uyghurcongress.org

The World Uyghur Congress lauds the decision to award leading Uyghur intellectual, Ilham Tohti, the prestigious Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders at a ceremony in Geneva yesterday. Professor Tohti was given a life sentence back in September 2014 on fabricated charges following a two-day trial. The award is chosen by a jury of ten of the world’s human rights NGOs, providing a great deal of institutional backing to Ilham Tohti’s efforts at fostering dialogue and harmony among peoples and the government in China.

Continue Reading →

European Parliament: Award Ilham Tohti The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought for 2016

Posted on October 4, 2016, in Human Rights Defenders News Political Prisoners Press Releases Uyghur Related News

Uyghur Human Rights Project, 4 October 2016

For immediate release
September 26, 2016 10:35 am EST
Contact: Uyghur Human Rights Project www.uhrp.org
001 (202) 478 1920 or info@uhrp.org

UHRP — The Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP) calls on the European Parliament to award Ilham Tohti the 2016 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. Professor Ilham Tohti has been a consistent voice for the equitable treatment of Uyghurs in China and in doing so has made an outstanding contribution to human rights.

Continue Reading →

Twitter