World Uyghur Congress, 29 June 2018

US Ambassador for Religious Freedom Pushing Trump Administration to Sanction Chinese Officials Responsible for Uyghur Repression

The US Ambassador for Religious Freedom, Sam Brownback, is reportedly pressing the Trump administration to impose sanctions on Chinese leaders associated with the country’s crackdown on Uyghurs and other ethnic and religious groups in East Turkistan.

The proposal would consist of President Trump signing an executive order, based on the Global Magnitsky Act, to impose sanctions, travel bans and asset freezes on Chinese officials responsible for religious repression. Party Secretary of  ‘Xinjiang’ (East Turkistan) Chen Quanguo is reportedly the first target for sanctions for his role in overseeing the mass arbitrary detention of an estimated 1 million Uyghurs in political indoctrination camps.

The WUC and the Uyghur Human Rights Project have been actively calling for sanctions to be imposed on these Chinese officials through the Global Magnitsky Act. WUC Executive Chairman, Omer Kanat, recently met with Sam Brownback to inform him about the horrific repression of Uyghurs and to ask for sanctions to be imposed.

Uyghur Friendship Group Holds First Event in the European Parliament

On 26 June 2018, from 12:30 – 14:30, the Uyghur Friendship Group, in collaboration with the European People’s Party (EPP) held their first event in the European Parliament since their inception. The conference was entitled “A People Under Threat: Hundreds of Thousands of Uyghurs Arbitrary Detained in China” and focused on the mass arbitrary detention of Uyghurs in political indoctrination camps in East Turkistan. The Uyghur Friendship Group serves as an informal network of MEPs, representing the different political groups of the European Parliament, and delegates from EU member states, who come together on a regular basis to address the challenges the Uyghur community faces.

The event brought together Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from the Uyghur Friendship Group, members of the Uyghur diaspora and academics to discuss the rapidly deteriorating human rights situation in East Turkistan and to think of concrete steps that the EU could take to improve the situation of the Uyghur people.

The WUC is thankful to all those who attended the first meeting of the Uyghur Friendship Group. We hope that it will serve as a springboard for concrete action from the EU to address the mass arbitrary detention of Uyghurs in East Turkistan.

Mass Arbitrary Detention of Uyghurs in Political Indoctrination Camps Raised at UN Human Rights Council

The arbitrary detention of an estimated 1 million Uyghurs in political indoctrination camps by Chinese authorities in East Turkistan was raised by several speakers at the 38th session of the UN Human Rights Council.

Firstly, a representative from the NGO Society for Threatened Peoples raised the issue and called on all UN Member states to take immediate action and speak publicly on this massive human rights violation in an Item 3 Statement before the Human Rights Council.

The political indoctrination camps were then raised by at least 5 member states in their Item 4 states. Bulgaria (on behalf of the European Union), Germany, the UK, France and Switzerland all expressed concern about the mass arbitrary detention of Uyghurs in these camps and called on China to respond.

More Reports of Deaths and Torture of Uyghurs in Political Indoctrination Camps

This week Radio Free Asia reported the deaths of at least 26 Uyghurs in political indoctrination camps in the villages of Yengisheher and Konasheher, according to officials from the area. Most of those who died were reportedly elderly detainees who could not endure the harsh conditions in the camps and did not receive sufficient medical care.

It was also reported that Ablet, a 37-year-old fruit merchant from the Qaraqash township, died in a political indoctrination camp in mysterious circumstances.

Also this week, WUC Spokesman Dilshat Raxit joined other activists and academics in highlighting the torture, brainwashing and horrible conditions Uyghurs are subjected to in the political indoctrination camps. On June 26th, marking the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, the Uyghur Human Rights Project called on UN member states to question China about reports of deaths and torture of Uyghurs in political indoctrination camps in East Turkistan, especially as China’s Universal Periodic Review Approaches.

Almas Nizamidin, a 27 year old Uyghur living in Australia, was interviewed by the ABC News about the arbitrary detention of his wife Buzainafu Abudourexiti in a political indoctrination camp. He spoke about the impact that her detention had on him and how the mass arbitrary detention of Uyghurs was instilling fear in sorrow in the Uyghur community.

Chinese Authorities Rapidly Building Crematoria to Stop Uyghur Funeral Traditions

Disturbing reports have emerged that the Chinese government is building many crematoria across East Turkistan, staffed by numerous security personnel.

Between March 2017 and February 2018, Chinese government listed 5-10 million yuan (U.S. $760,000 to $1.52 million) tenders for contractors to build nine “burial management centers” including crematoria in Uyghur majority areas throughout East Turkistan, according to a report listed on the official website of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC).

The imposition of cremation is in contravention to Uyghur funeral traditions and deprives Uyghurs of having the right to bury their loved as they see fit. There have also been concerning allegations that the Chinese government is imposing cremation of the Uyghur people to hide evidence of torture and mistreatment in the deaths of Uyghurs.