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Human Rights Violations against Uyghur People Discussed at 18th Session of the UN Human Rights Council

Press Release – For immediate release
30 September 2011
Contact:  World Uyghur Congress www.uyghurcongress.org
0049 (0) 89 5432 1999 or [email protected]

The 18th session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC, 12-30 September 2011) concluded today in Geneva, Switzerland. The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) conveys its deepest gratitude to all stakeholders that raised and discussed the Uyghurs´ plight at the HRC session.

Statements made on item 2: Annual report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the UN Secretary-General

On 12 September, the Mouvement contre le racisme et pour l’amitié entre les peuples (MRAP) expressed its preoccupation on a new Strike Hard Campaign implemented in East Turkestan: “Egalement très préoccupant est le sort du peuple Uyghur, de religion musulmane, dans la région du Xinjian. L’annonce des autorités de la République populaire de Chine d’une nouvelle campagne dénommée « frapper fort » censée s’attaquer à des éléments terroristes fait craindre une nouvelle vague d’arrestations, disparitions forcées et exactions diverses tendant à marginaliser la population Uyghur sur ses propres terres. Nous apprécierions que vous portiez votre attention sur cette question.”

Statements made on item 3 (“Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development”)

On 15 September 2011, during the general debate on item 3, Jana Brandt (WUC Project Coordinator) on behalf of the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) delivered an oral statement on the linguistic discrimination in the People’s Republic of China, as well as government measures that have threatened the survival of the language of the Uyghur people. The full statement is available here. The video is available here (from 1:18:20 on)

Statements made on item 4 (“Human Rights situations that require the Council´s attention”)

During the general debate on item 4, both the United Nations and the Czech Republic mentioned the Uyghurs in their statements.

The United States highlighted in its oral statement on item 4 that “China maintains policies that threaten the Tibetan and Uyghur languages, religions, and cultures, and presses other governments to forcibly return Chinese citizens seeking asylum in third countries.“

Also the Czech Republic addressed the human rights situation in China and the Uyghurs in its statement, saying: “We are concerned about the unsatisfactory situation of the rights of national minorities, including Uyghurs and Tibetans, and ongoing restrictions on the freedom of expression.”

The Nonviolent Radical Party Transnational Transparty (NRP, www.radicalparty.org) delivered a written statement on item 4, entitled “New wave of human rights violations against the Uyghur people”. The statement is available here.

The UN Human Rights Council has regular sessions three times per year in Geneva, Switzerland.  The next session will take place March 2012.