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PRESS RELEASE: WUC TO HOLD International Uyghur Forum to be Held in Brussels, Belgium

PRESS RELEASE: WUC TO HOLD International Uyghur Forum to be Held in Brussels, Belgium

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

The World Uyghur Congress (WUC), HASENE International, International Union of East Turkistan Organizations, with the co-sponsorship of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO), Society for Threatened Peoples (GfbV), CCJO René Cassin, FAIR International, and the International Society for Human Rights (ISHR) are organising a high-level International Uyghur Forum on 9-10 November in Brussels, Belgium. The Forum will bring together over 200 participants from all over the world, including prominent experts in policy, ecomics, civil society, media, academia and the legal field, as well as Uyghur and civil society representatives.

“The International Uyghur Forum is held at an important time in our people’s history”, WUC President Dolkun Isa said. “After the release of the UN Uyghur report and the failed resolution at the UN Human Rights Council, the real question now is what action the international community will take to end the suffering of Uyghurs.”

“Millions of people in East Turkistan are enduring genocide by the Chinese authority. Uyghur Genocide is the inevitable crisis of humanity from all ethnic, religious, and political backgrounds. Because the ongoing genocide threatens the common values of the international community, China threatens the world’s common interest. It’s time to act in a firm and determined way,” IUETO President Hidayet Oguzhan Said.

“We hope that the genocide committed by the People’s Republic of China against Uyghurs, Kazakhs and other ethnic groups will end and that those responsible will be sanctioned by the international community.” said Mesud Gülbahar, Chairman of Hasene Organization. “Urgent decisions need to be taken to hold those who commit genocide crimes accountable. States have a moral and legal obligation to take an active role to end this genocide.”

By discussing how the international community’s response to China’s human rights atrocities has evolved over the past years, and the efforts by Uyghur groups and other stakeholders to advocate for action, the main objective of this event is to reflect on a unified, global policy response to the Uyghur genocide. By discussing the current challenges and opportunities for action, the Forum aims to foster collaboration and formulate a global response that is needed to address the plight of the people of East Turkistan.

As such, key to the discussions that will take place over the course of two days will be questions about what avenues for justice and accountability exist, what the UN and its member States can do against these atrocities, and what role civil society and the media plays in the response to the Uyghur genocide. In seeking answers to these questions and identifying best practices, the organisers hope the Forum’s outcomes will pave the way towards international justice and accountability measures.

The Forum will commence with an opening session in the European Parliament on the morning of November 9th, where the audience will hear from Members of the European Parliament and other relevant policy makers about the policy approach to the Uyghur genocide. Camp survivors will further share their experiences of China’s genocidal policies in East Turkistan. 

During the rest of the Forum, participants will actively discuss several key issues concerning the Uyghur genocide, in particular concering the political, legal, economic, and media and civil society approaches to report about and respond to the atrocity crimes in East Turkistan.

For any further information about the International Uyghur Forum or media requests, please write to [email protected]