NEWS

World Uyghur Congress Hosts Advocacy Workshop for Uyghur Youth in Stockholm
From April 28-30, the World Uyghur Congress, in cooperation with the Swedish Uyghur Union, organised a workshop for Uyghur Youth activists from across Scandinavia. The three-day workshop in Stockholm aimed to educate the next generation of Uyghur leaders on national and multilateral human rights advocacy, the preservation and presentation of evidence, grassroots campaigning and digital security. Developing the skills of Uyghur Youth to engage in advocacy across different spaces empowered them to identify and embark on their own leadership journeys in the future. 

The workshop featured presentations from prominent human rights activists and lawyers, along with WUC staff educating and guiding the participants in developing an enhanced understanding of the current global climate for Uyghur advocacy. The workshop paid special attention to the challenges and personal risks that activists worldwide face when standing up for Uyghur rights. The workshop equipped participants with the skills to conduct human rights advocacy in risky online and offline environments. The workshop concluded with a Model United Nations simulation of the UN Human Rights Council.

World Uyghur Congress Delegation meets with German Commissioner for Human Rights and Humanitarian Assistance
On May 2nd, a World Uyghur Congress (WUC) delegation, led by President Dolkun Isa, was received by Mrs Luise Amtsberg, the German Commissioner for Human Rights and Humanitarian Assistance at the German Foreign Office in Berlin. During the visit, the WUC delegation highlighted the import role that Germany plays at the United Nations, especially leading the EU members towards tangible action. The delegation also stressed the increased transnational repression against Uyghurs worldwide and the dire situation of Uyghur refugees in South-East Asian countries, especially in Thailand. Mrs Amtsberg and her colleagues reiterated their continued support for the Uyghur people in Germany’s political and diplomatic work. 

WUC Participates at the “Voices in Exile Policy Brief” Launch in Brussels
On May 2nd, a World Uyghur Congress (WUC) delegation, led by London Director, Rahima Mahmut, was invited to attend and participate in the “Voices in Exile Policy Brief” report launch organised by the Christian Democratic International Center at the EU Parliament in Brussels and hosted by MEP David Lega, Christian Democrat and member of the European People’s Party. The report highlights activist voices in exile and includes WUC London Director Rahima Mahmut, who spoke out about the Uyghur genocide and Uyghur forced labour. 

WUC Organises Demonstration in Front of Royal-Thai Consulate General in Munich
On May 5th, World Uyghur Congress (WUC) organised a demonstration in front of the Royal-Thai Consulate in Munich to raise awareness about the death of Uyghur refugee Mattohti Mattursun (Muhammad Tursun) in Bangkok. He was 40 years old and died of suspected liver failure, which remained untreated during detention. Mr Mattursun was one of 350 Uyghur men, women, and children who fled China in 2014, and his death is the fifth death since the group’s detention in 2014.

The demonstration was organised in cooperation with various American Uyghur groups, most notably Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP), with corresponding protests in Washington, D.C, New York and Boston. In addition, WUC presented a letter to the Thai Ambassador calling upon the Southeast Asian country to end the prolonged detention of Uyghurs by releasing them immediately and resolutely avoiding refoulement with resettlement choices.

‘’The international community has failed to protect these Uyghur refugees in Thailand, for nine long years,’’ said World Uyghur Congress President Dolkun Isa. ‘’We continue to be concerned about the harsh conditions of detention, which we fear can only lead to the death of all remaining detainees.’’

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Support Uyghurs’ Genocide & Crimes Against Humanity Case in Argentina
The World Uyghur Congress and the Uyghur Human Rights Project have launched a criminal case in the courts of Argentina in relation to the international crimes of genocide and crimes against humanity being committed against the Uyghur people. Please donate and be a part of this historical case.

Ask Volkswagen to Close its Plant in East Turkistan
Despite growing evidence of the ongoing genocide against the Uyghurs, Volkswagen continues to operate in East Turkistan. The World Uyghur Congress is collecting signatures to demand Volkswagen to close down its plant in Urumqi. Please sign here!