Responsive Image

Weekly Brief, 08 April 2022

Weekly Brief, 08 April 2022

NEWS

WUC Co-Sponsors the Geneva Summit for Human Rights
On April 6th, the Geneva Summit for Human Rights, a major conference that shines a spotlight on urgent human rights situations that require global attention, took place. As the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) was a co-sponsor this year, Program and Advocacy Manager Zumretay Arkin participated on behalf of the WUC. The Summit brought together courageous activists defending human rights around the globe.

WUC Ramadan Campaign Highlights the Plight of Five Uyghur Imams
This month of Ramadan, the WUC addresses the plight of five Uyghur Imams who have been detained or imprisoned by the Chinese government. The first Imam which the WUC highlighted was Abidin Ayup, who was the former Imam of the Qayraq Mosque (Atush) and former professor at the Xinjiang Islamic Institute. He was detained between January and April in 2017. Please help us raise awareness to these cases by using #FreeUyghurImams. 

At the start of this year’s Ramadan, Radio Free Asia reported that the Chinese authorities are restricting the number of Uyghur Muslims allowed to observe Ramadan. Those who wish to fast have to register with their local authorities, and only the elderly and adults with no school-age children are allowed to do so.

WUC Joins Call to Immediately Release Uyghurs Detained in Saudi Arabia 
On April 4th, the WUC joined the call by Amnesty International  and other human rights organisations to the Saudi Arabian authorities to immediately release four Uyghurs – including a 13-year-old girl and her mother – who are at grave risk of being taken to repressive internment camps if sent back to China.

WUC Commemorates 32nd Anniversary of the Baren Uprising
On April 5th, the WUC commemorated the 32nd anniversary of the Baren Uprising. In the aftermath of events in 1990, approximately two to three thousand Uyghurs lost their lives, contributing to the rapid deterioration of human rights for the Uyghur people in East Turkistan. To commemorate these events, the WUC representatives participated in a protest in front of the Chinese Consulate in Munich, organised by the East Turkistan Union and the Ilham Tohti Initiative. 

WUC US Advocacy Tour Continues
WUC President, Dolkun Isa, continued his advocacy tour in the US this week. Together with Omer Kanat, Executive Director of the Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP), he met with Representative Young Kim, who has been a strong and consistent ally in the US congress.  Furthermore, Mr. Isa and representatives of UHRP met the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Mr. Rick Waters, to discuss the response to the Uyghur genocide. 

PARTICIPATE

Support Uyghurs this Ramadan
This Ramadan, together, we can make sure that the plight of millions of Uyghurs and other Turkic people is not forgotten. By giving Zakat, Sadaqah-fitr and other kinds of donations to the WUC, you can help us advocate for the rights & dignity of Uyghurs and other Turkic people. More information here!