Press Release: Uyghur Groups Urge UN Member States to Vote “Yes” on Steps Towards Accountability
Press Release – For immediate release
26 September 2022
Contact: World Uyghur Congress www.uyghurcongress.org
0049 (0) 89 5432 1999 or [email protected]
A group of 66 Uyghur organizations from 20 countries welcome a draft resolution tabled at the Human Rights Council calling for a debate on the Uyghur issue, and urges governments to support its passage.
“The international community must remember its obligation to end atrocity crimes like genocide and crimes against humanity,” said Dolkun Isa, President of the World Uyghur Congress. “Justice must be served.”
“Governments must seize this opportunity to finally respond to the abuses,” said Omer Kanat, Executive Director of the Uyghur Human Rights Project. “The UN now has a chance to give hope to a suffering people.”
A vote on the resolution will take place next week in Geneva. Its passage would be a notable step by the UN body to act on a ground-breaking report by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. The High Commissioner found that abuses faced by Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples “may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity.”
We continue to urge action on necessary steps to follow up on the report’s findings, calling on:
- The UN Human Rights Council to take up the issue in a Special Session or Urgent Debate with the aim of establishing a Commission of Inquiry (COI) to independently examine the treatment of Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples;
- The UN Special Procedures to consider evidence presented in the report and respond with recommendations for the UN and the international community;
- The UN Office on Genocide Prevention to immediately conduct an assessment of the risks of atrocities—including genocide and crimes against humanity—targeting Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples, and to alert relevant actors and advocate for a proportionate response;
- The ILO to take note of the report, include additional evidence of forced labour in its Committee of Experts annual report, and for delegates at the International Labour Conference to lodge a complaint against China for failure to uphold its obligations;
- UNESCO to urgently investigate cases of destruction or marginalisation of natural and cultural heritage, including UNESCO-listed heritage (Muqam, Karez well system, Manas, Meshrep, and the Tianshan mountain range);
- The global business community to immediately cut all ties with entities assisting the government to carry out the atrocities, especially the programs of high-tech surveillance and state-imposed forced labour; and
- Governments and international organizations to take urgent steps to protect Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples at imminent risk of refoulement, in line with an urgent joint statement from 22 refugee and human rights groups and 50 Uyghur organizations.
We commend and warmly welcome the statement by 45 independent UN experts, who expressed their support for its findings and urged the Human Rights Council to hold a special session in response; to consider the creation of an expert—or panel of experts—to monitor and report on the human rights situation in China more broadly; for the General Assembly or Secretary-General to consider the creation of a special envoy; and for UN Member States and UN agencies and business enterprises to “demand that China fulfils its human rights obligations.”
- Alberta Uyghur Association
- Australian East Turkestan Association
- Australian Uyghur Association
- Australian Uyghur Tangritagh Women’s Association
- Austria Uyghur Association
- Belgium Uyghur Association
- Blue Crescent Humanitarian Aid Association
- Campaign for Uyghurs
- Center for Uyghur Studies
- Dutch Uyghur Human Rights Foundation
- East Turkistan Association of Canada
- East Turkistan Education and Solidarity Association
- East Turkistan Entrepreneur Tradesmen and Industrialists Businessmen Association
- Eastern Turkistan Foundation
- East Turkistan Human Rights Watch
- East Turkistan Nuzugum Culture and Family Association
- East Turkestan Press and Media Association
- East Turkistan Research Institute
- East Turkistan Sports and Development Association
- East Turkistan Union in Europe
- East Turkestan Union of Muslim Scholars
- European East Turkistan Education Association
- Finnish Uyghur Culture Center
- Furkan Education and Cooperation Association
- Hira Education Association
- Hoca Ahmet Yesevi Science and lore Foundation
- Institute of China Studies
- Isa Yusup Alptekin Foundation
- Japan Uyghur Association
- Justice 4 Uyghurs
- Knowledge and Service Solidarity and Cooperation Association
- Norwegian Uyghur Committee
- Satuq Bugrakhan Foundation of Science and Civilization
- Society Union of Uyghur National Association
- Stop Uyghur Genocide Australia
- Stop Uyghur Genocide UK
- Sweden Uyghur Union
- Swiss Uyghur Association
- Taklamakan Uyghur Publish House
- Uighur Society “Ittipak” of the Kyrgyz Republic
- UK Uyghur Community
- Uyghur Academy
- Uyghur Academy Australia
- Uyghur Academy Canada
- Uyghur Academy Europe
- Uyghur Academy Foundation
- Uyghur Academy Japan
- Uyghur Academy USA
- Uyghur American Association
- Uyghur Center for Human Rights and Democracy
- Uyghur Cultural and Educational Foundation
- Uyghur Cultural and Education Union in Germany
- Uyghur Hjelp
- Uyghur Human Rights Project
- Uyghur PEN Center
- Uyghur Projects Foundation
- Uyghur Refugee Relief Fund
- Uyghur Research Institute
- Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project
- Uyghur Science and Civilization Research Foundation
- Uyghur Science and Education Foundation
- Uyghur Transitional Justice Database
- Uyghur Youth Union in Kazakhstan
- Victoria Uyghur Association
- World Uyghur Congress
- World Uyghur Congress Foundation