NEWS

Uyghurs at Risk of Being Deported from Saudi Arabia
On March 13th, the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) received credible information that two Uyghur women, Buheliqiemu Abula and her 13-year old daughter Baibure Miremaiti, were at imminent risk of being deported back to China. They are among four Uyghurs who have been detained in Saudi Arabia, two of them since November 2020.

On March 13th, the two women received a negative Corona Test and were taken to the airport in Riyadh. Following extensive advocacy by the WUC and others, the two women eventually did not board a plane, but remain in a detention centre at imminent risk of deportation. For the latest updates on these cases, follow World Uyghur Congress or Amnesty International. 

Uyghur Forced Labour in Aluminium Production
According to a new report by Horizon Advisory, each of the eight leading aluminium companies in East Turkistan, which together account for 9 percent of the global production, are making use of Uyghur forced labour programs. These findings add to the growing amount of evidence linking global supply chains of numerous industries to the Uyghur genocide; the aluminium companies are suppliers for Volkswagen, BMW, General Motors and other car manufacturers.

Public Hearing on the Uyghur Forced Labour Prevention Act in the US
During a public hearing on the Uyghur Forced Labour Prevention Act, the WUC and other Uyghur organisations presented evidence of the pervasiveness of Uyghur Forced Labour in global supply chains, and urged the U.S. Government to present and enforce robust legislation.

Furthermore this week, a coalition of human rights groups, led by David Matas, Sarah Teucgm Aliya Khan and Mehmet Tohti, filed a complaint to the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Business Enterprise to investigate allegations of Uyghur Forced Labour in the supply chains of 14 Canadian companies, and report publicly on its findings.

Camp Survivor Arrives in the US
This week, former camp detainee Ovalbek Turdakun arrived together with his wife and son in the U.S., after months of efforts by rights groups and U.S. authorities to grant him parole. Mr. Turdakun is an essential witness to testify about the atrocity crimes he witnessed and experienced in East Turkistan. Unlike most witnesses so far, he is ethnically Kyrgyz and Christian, shedding new light on the situation.

Hundreds of Family Members of Detainees Sent to Forced Labour Facilities
On the 11th of April, Radio Free Asia reported that hundreds of family members of detained Uyghurs from the Sheyih Mehelle hamlet, in Ghulja, East Turkistan, have been subjected to forced labour in local factories. They are mostly women and elderly men, who are forced to work for 10-12 hours a day to make clothes, socks and gloves.

This week, China announced it will ratify two ILO conventions on forced labour in an attempt to revive the EU-China investment deal (CAI). But as this is unlikely to change conditions on the ground, a total end to Uyghur Forced Labour must be the only EU condition.

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!

#FreeUyghurImams Campaign
This month of Ramadan, the WUC is highlighting the plight of five Uyghur Imams who have been detained or imprisoned by the Chinese government. Follow upcoming posts here, and join our call by sharing the campaign and use the hashtag #FreeUyghurImams