NEWS

World Uyghur Congress Commemorates 35th Anniversary of Pro-Democracy Student Protest
On June 14, the World Uyghur Congress commemorated the 35th anniversary of the 1988 pro-democracy Uyghur student protest in Urumchi. The Urumchi protest preceded the Tiananmen Protest in 1989 and became one of the most significant large-scale public expressions of discontent against the Chinese government’s discrimination policies against Uyghurs. 

The Uyghur student protest movement of the 1980s was led by current WUC President, Dolkun Isa, and aimed at educating Uyghur students across the country about their own rights according to the Constitution. Although the student democracy protests were ultimately stamped out by the Chinese government, these demonstrations were the seeds for the future of the Uyghur human rights movement. 

In the aftermath of the 1988 protests, Mr. Isa was expelled from university and forced to flee the country in 1994, later seeking asylum in Germany, where he has continued to speak out on Uyghur human rights. “In university, I quickly learned the limitations of being an Uyghur. The policies implemented by the State were explicitly discriminatory against us. This is why I became a student leader leading up to the 1988 pro-democracy protest’’, he said. ‘’At the time, there was still some freedom to organise such movements. Today, everyone is locked up.’’ 

World Uyghur Congress Produces Briefing Note on Procurement Bill Amendment
On June 13, the World Uyghur Congress produced a briefing for the ‘Hikvision’ Amendment (NC1) to the Procurement Bill, which returned to the UK Parliament. The amendment seeks removal from the procurement supply chain of surveillance produced by companies subject to the National Intelligence Law of China.  The Amendment works to advance UK national security, protect Uyghur communities from transnational surveillance, and send a clear message that the UK will not remain complicit in human rights abuses and genocide abroad.

Two main companies, which are subjected to China’s National Intellegince Law and have played a central role in facilitating the genocide and mass surveillance of Uyghur people are Hikvision and Dahua. They are the world’s largest manufacturers and suppliers of video surveillance equipment and owned by the Chinese government. Both companies have developed ‘ethnic minority’ detection software, which is able to ‘automate the identification of Uyghur faces based on physiological phenotypes’ and track their movements.

Human Rights Organizations Send Joint Letter to US Secretary of State
On June 14, the World Uyghur Congress joined 41 nongovernmental organisations calling on US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, to put human rights concerns at the top of the agenda on his forthcoming visit to China and urging him to keep the victims of Beijing’s repression and their families at the core of his approach.

The recommendations proposed include the immediate release of all human rights defenders and ending the persecution of their families, measures on transnational repression and informing the Chinese authorities of the intent of the United States to join with a diverse coalition of states to support international investigations into atrocity crimes in East Turkistan.

WUC Mourns the Death of Marino Busdachin
On June 12, the World Uyghur Congress expressed their sadness about the death of Marino Busdachin, the former General Secretary of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation (UNPO) and a strong supporter of Uyghurs.

Mr Busdachin was a fervent defender of human rights, and actively engaged in the promotion of human, civil and political rights since the 1970s. As General Secretary of the UNPO, he advocated strongly for the right to self-determination, and the rights of oppressed and unrepresented peoples around the world. “Mr Busdachin was a powerful ally to the Uyghur people, whose tireless efforts in advocating for the fundamental rights of Uyghurs will not be forgotten”, says WUC President Dolkun Isa. “The WUC will continue to remember Mr Busdachin’s efforts for the Uyghurs, his view on human rights, and his great willingness to stand by nations and peoples who continue to face gross injustices”.

PARTICIPATE

Exhibition of Xinjiang Police Files.
From June 19-22 the World Uyghur Congress in cooperation with the Forum for Human Rights will organise the Xinjiang Police Files Exhibition in Prague at the Jiřího z Poděbrad Square.

Join our Human Rights Action in Berlin
On June 20, the Chinese Premier Li Qiang is visiting Berlin for the German-Chinese Government Consultations. Join the World Uyghur Congress as we call on the German Federal Government to make a clear statement on the human rights atrocities committed by the CCP and to put human rights before economic relations. More information can be found here.

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!

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 historic case.