NEWS

WUC Commemorates Anniversary of the Urumchi Massacre
On July 5th, the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) and Uyghurs around the world held protests and commemorated the 12th-year anniversary of the Urumchi massacre, the capital city of East Turkistan. Every year, July 5th is a dark reminder of the brutality Uyghurs face from the Chinese authorities. From July 5-7, 2009, thousands of Uyghur protesters, including students were killed, disappeared or injured, as the Chinese government brutally cracked down on peaceful protests. This proved to be a pivotal turning point in the Chinese government’s treatment of the Uyghur people.

U.S. Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken Meets Uyghur Survivors
On July 7th, the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken met with 7 former Uyghur camp detainees, as well as Uyghur advocates to hear about their experiences and the conditions that Uyghurs face in East Turkistan. The WUC applauds the meeting as a way for Uyghurs to be directly heard by decision makers.

Chinese Government’s Intrusion Into the Private Family Lives of Uyghurs 
On July 7th, the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) strongly condemned the Chinese government’s practice of targeting the Uyghur family space in order to silence Uyghurs abroad. Over the past months, Chinese authorities have intensified their targeting of Uyghurs abroad, threatening to detain or imprison their family members in East Turkistan over their activism. “Tearing Uyghur families apart is a skill that the Chinese Communist Party has mastered over the past years, adding intense grief and guilt to the repression we are already suffering”, WUC President, Dolkun Isa said. 

Campaign for Uyghurs, Hong Kong Watch and Students for a Free Tibet Receive the 10th Global Assembly Courage Tributes
On July 8th, the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) extended  its heartfelt congratulations to Campaign for Uyghurs (CFU), Hong Kong Watch (HKW) and Students for a Free Tibet (SFT) for receiving the 10th Global Assembly Courage Tributes. These three human rights groups have been working tirelessly to promote and defend universal values, including human rights, democracy, and freedom. Campaign for Uyghurs has contributed enormously to advancing human rights for the Uyghur people. 

The Belgian Parliament Passes Joint Motion Recognizing ‘Crimes Against Humanity’ and a ‘Serious Risk of Genocide’ in East Turkistan
On July 8th, the Belgian Chamber of Representatives passed a resolution condemning the Chinese government’s actions against Uyghurs in East Turkistan as crimes against humanity and at “serious risk of” being genocide. The Belgian Parliament thereby becomes the sixth national parliament to recognize the Uyghur genocide, following the Netherlands, Canada, Lithuania, the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom.

The WUC thanks in particular MP Samuel Cogolati, for his tireless efforts in support of the Uyghur cause.

UK Foreign Affairs Committee Publishes New Report
On July 8th, the UK Foreign Affairs Committee published its report “Never Again: The UK’s Responsibility to Act on Atrocities in Xinjiang and Beyond”. The report provides clear recommendations, setting out the response required of the UK Government in halting the atrocities that the Chinese government is committing against the Uyghurs and other ethnic groups in East Turkistan. The Committee recommends a range of measures that, together, will pressure the Chinese government to end its persecution of Uyghurs. The Committee calls on the UK Government to respect the view of the House of Commons that crimes against humanity and genocide are taking place, among other actions.

EU Parliament Votes for a Diplomatic Boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics of 2022
On July 8th, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on Hong Kong, which also included a paragraph that calls on the European Union and its member states to decline invitations to attend the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics unless “the Chinese Government demonstrates a verifiable improvement in the human rights situation in Hong Kong, the Uyghur Region, Tibet, Inner Mongolia and elsewhere in China.”

It was passed with 578 votes in favor to 29 against, with 73 abstentions, and was supported by all of Europe’s mainstream political groups. 

PARTICIPATE

International Religious Freedom Summit 2021
On July 13-15, 2021, the WUC, as a supporting partner will join the International Religious Freedom Summit 2021 in Washington D.C. The IRF creates a powerful coalition of organizations that operate together for the cause of religious freedom around the world, increasing public awareness and political strength for the international religious freedom movement. Join the virtual event here.

On July 14, 2021, 1:45–2:45 p.m. EDT 
As part of the IRF Summit 2021, join the Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP), Uyghur American Association (UAA), and World Uyghur Congress (WUC) for a presentation of new evidence of China’s persecution of Uyghurs and the criminalization of religious practice, as well as discussion of current and proposed actions to respond to the crisis.