Press Release: World Uyghur Congress Faces Increase of Threats and Harassment

Press Release: World Uyghur Congress Faces Increase of Threats and Harassment
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Press Release – For Immediate Release
18 October 2024
Contact: World Uyghur Congress
www.uyghurcongress.org
+49 89 5432 1999 or [email protected]

Leading up to the 8th General Assembly, the World Uyghur Congress has become the target of a coordinated and aggressive campaign, which has reached an unprecedented scale, involving attacks and incidents aimed at WUC members, staff, and delegates. The incidents have both increased in scale and sophistication as the General Assembly approaches. 

These threats have taken various forms, including:

  • Pressure by the Chinese Embassy to cancel our General Assembly.
  • Threat by the Chinese Embassy to arrest WUC former President in Sarajevo, Mr Dolkun Isa who is a German citizen.
  • Using proxy Uyghur organisations to spread fear and uncertainty about the safety of the participants, while specifically referring to the Extradition Treaty between China and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
  • Threats of physical harm, including warnings of staged car accidents.
  • Threats to disrupt the General Assembly in Sarajevo, including the possibility of sending uninvited individuals to provoke fights or cause intentional disruptions.
  • Sabotage plans intended to intentionally disrupt the conference, including threats of a power outage during the conference.
  • Mass spam campaigns flooding WUC communication channels.
  • Slanderous attacks against WUC elected delegates and leadership candidates, attempting to discredit their work and reputation.
  • Personal threats targeting WUC delegates and candidates for leadership positions, pressuring them to withdraw from participation. In many cases, these threats have involved coercion of their relatives by Chinese authorities, warning them not to take part in the General Assembly as either delegates or candidates.

The escalation of these coordinated attacks and threats are an attempt not only to disrupt the WUC but also to derail the critical work planned for the General Assembly. It is a clear effort to intimidate the Uyghur community and silence their voices. These incidents of clear transnational repression must be condemned. 

The World Uyghur Congress is deeply concerned by the increasing harassment and threats, but despite these attempts, the WUC remains steadfast in its commitment to fight for Uyghur human rights. The 8th General Assembly will proceed as planned, with important steps taken to mitigate risks and ensure the safety of all participants. 

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8th General Assembly:
The WUC convenes its General Assembly every three years, serving as a pivotal moment for the organisation to elect its leadership, set strategic priorities, and develop effective approaches to advance the Uyghur cause in international forums. This assembly plays a crucial role in addressing the ongoing Uyghur genocide and highlights the Chinese government’s increasing mechanisms of oppression, including transnational repression, which targets Uyghurs abroad and undermines the global human rights system.