NEWS

UN Experts Expressed Renewed Concern over Abuses in East Turkistan
On February 17, a group of 15 UN Special Procedures Mandate-Holders renewed their grave concerns over the grave abuses against the Uyghur and Turkic people in East Turkistan. The communication highlights the recent findings of the OHCHR report on the situation, and regrets that they ‘have not received a response to the remaining communication nor any positive response to the requests of sixteen Special Procedures to undertake a country visit’.

The communication was published as the UN CESCR Review on China concluded on Thursday, February 16th.

WUC attends Munich Security Conference 2023
On February 18th, the World Uyghur Congress (WUC), together with Human Rights Watch (HRW) successfully organised a press conference at the Munich Security Conference (MSC) on China’s transnational repression and surveillance. The panel, moderated by WUC Program and Advocacy Manager Zumretay Arkin,included WUC President Dolkun Isa, HRW Executive Director Tirana Hassan, NED President Damon M. Wilson and camp survivor Gulbahar Hatiwaji

On the second day of the Munich Security Conference, WUC President Dolkun Isa joined the main conference, as the US Vice-president Kamala Harris addressed the MSC. Furthermore, he met with US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, MEP Ilhan Kyuchuyuk, Ukrainian Politician Hanna Hopko, German Minister of Food and Agriculture Cem Özdemir, Vice Mayor of Prague, Zdenek Hrib, among others

The MSC is the world’s leading forum on international security policy, which is joined yearly by international head of states, ministers, leading personalities of international and non-governmental organisations as well as representatives of industry, media, academia and civil society. This year’s conference was held from February 17 – 19.

WUC calls upon the Royal Thai Government to investigate the death of Aziz Abdullah
On February 17th, the WUC called upon the Royal Thai Government to investigate the death of Aziz Abdullah, a Uyghur asylum-seeker who has been detained in the Suan Phlu Immigration Detention Center (IDC) in Bangkok, Thailand. After almost 9 years in detention Aziz Abdullah died of pneumonia, having fled China in 2013 alongside 350 Uyghur asylum-seekers including his pregnant wife, his brother and seven children.

Aziz’s death is not the first one inside Thailand’s detention centres. Four Uyghur refugees have died, including two children. A newborn baby died in June 2014, while 3-year-old Abdullah Abdulweli reportedly died due to Tuberculosis in December 2014. Aziz’s wife and children were among 170 women and children who were transferred to Turkey in 2015, while 109 men and women were forcefully returned to China. The UN Special Rapporteur on torture expressed concern to the Thai authorities in 2015 that the deportation of Uyghur refugees “would amount to refoulement and put them at risk of being tortured or subjected to other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.” Until now the UNHCR has been denied access to the detainees, whose conditions inside the IDC are life threatening and below human rights standards.

WUC is supported in its Universal Jurisdiction Complaint
On February 21st, the Notre Dame Law School Religious Liberty Initiative filed an amicus brief in support of the universal jurisdiction complaint by The World Uyghur Congress and The Uyghur Human Rights Project against China for genocide and crimes against humanity.

In August 2022 the WUC together with the UHRP filed a criminal complaint in Buenos Aires, Argentina under the universal jurisdiction provisions as set out in the Argentinian Constitution in Article 118. The courts in Argentina have jurisdictions for international crimes such as genocide, crimes against humanity, and torture wherever they take place. WUC President Dolkun Isa said “This submission marks a crucial step toward the long-overdue justice for the Uyghur people and the holding to account of those responsible. This criminal complaint would be a historic occasion for Uyghurs to have their voices heard within a formal domestic court.”

Stephanie Barclay, director of the Notre Dame Law School Religious Liberty Initiative said that “China’s atrocities against the Uyghur people meet the legal definitions of crimes against humanity and genocide under international law.” “We urge the Argentina criminal court to exercise jurisdiction over the case and rule that China is guilty of these dire crimes.”

The amicus brief was filed on behalf of Lord David Alton, Ambassador Sam Brownback, Ambassador Kelley E. Currie, Nury Turkel and Frank Wolf.

WUC celebrates International Mothers Language Day
On February 21st, the WUC celebrated UNESCO’s Mother Language Day. Under this year’s theme “Multilingual education – a necessity to transform education”, UNESCO raises attention to the fact that “40% of the world’s population does not have access to an education in a language they speak or understand.” This also includes the Uyghur language, as China uses the banning of the Uyghur language as a way of eradicating the Uyghur identity and culture.

In line with China’s genocide policy, the Uyghur language faces continued threats as the Chinese government started to ban the teachings of the Uyghur language in 2017. Since 2000 Mandarin has been the primary language of instruction in schools across East Turkistan as part of China’s “bilingual” education program. If caught conversing in the Uyghur language, students, their parents and the school faculties face punishment, which includes time within the indoctrination camps and boarding schools.

During last week’s CESCR review on China, the Committee members asked multiple questions on the respect of linguistic rights in East Turkistan and Tibet.

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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