Press Release – For immediate release
11 November 2022
Contact: World Uyghur Congress www.uyghurcongress.org
0049 (0) 89 5432 1999 or [email protected]

The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) successfully concluded the International Uyghur Forum, co-organized by Hasene International and the International Union of East Turkistan Organizations (IUETO), from November 9-10, in Brussels.

​​The Forum brought together over 200 participants from over 20 countries, including prominent experts in policy, economics, civil society, media, academia and the legal fields, as well as Uyghur and civil society representatives.

On November 9th, the opening ceremony took place in the European Parliament, with MEPs Ismail Ertug, Raphael Glucksmann, Miriam Lexmann and David Lega offering remarks. 

It was followed by a panel discussion, ‘’Responsibilities of International Community and European Union towards the Genocide in East Turkistan’’, with government officials, parliament members and members of the Uyghur Tribunal. 

In the afternoon, the Forum continued with the second panel, “International Legal, Political and Economic Responses to the Genocide in East Turkistan’’, with parliament members from Canada, the United Kingdom, and legal experts.

On November 10th, three parallel interactive-dialogue sessions took place, addressing different thematic issues, such as legal avenues, political avenues, and civil society and international avenues. International speakers raised concrete avenues for accountability, including at the domestic and international levels. 

In the evening, a delegation from WUC led by President Dolkun Isa attended the re-launch of the Uyghur Friendship Group in the European Parliament. MEPs from different political parties have promised to make the Uyghur issue a priority on their agenda. 

At the end of the Forum, the Brussels Declaration was read out, calling on the international community to take immediate and tangible action to end the Uyghur genocide and hold the perpetrators accountable. 

On November 11, the WUC held its Executive Committee meeting, where it discussed the outcome of the Forum, and how to implement the suggestions tabled by the international legal experts, civil society organisations, policymakers, and representatives of the Uyghur community. 

In the evening, the WUC joined the Belgium Uyghur Association and the Uyghur Academy in celebrating the East Turkistan National Day with the Uyghur community in Brussels.

The gravity of the current situation has most recently been highlighted by the report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, which concluded that China’s actions “may constitute international crimes, in particular, crimes against humanity”. It thereby reinforced the findings of the independent Uyghur Tribunal, which concluded that China’s actions amount to crimes against humanity and genocide. This has now also been recognized by 10 parliamentary bodies worldwide.

The WUC reiterates its call on the international community to immediately take action to end the Uyghur genocide.