NEWS

World Uyghur Congress Announces “International Uyghur Forum: Global Parliamentarian Convention”
On June 27, the World Uyghur Congress announced the “International Uyghur Forum: Global Parliamentarian Convention”, a global conference organised by the Japan Uyghur Parliamentary League, the Parliamentary League for Investigating and Taking action on Human Rights Violations by China, the World Uyghur Congress (WUC), the Japan Uyghur Association (JUA) and Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC). 

The conference will be held on October 30-31, 2023, at the National Diet of Japan (House of Representatives Building) and aims to bring together parliamentarians and high-level government officials from various countries who are working on the Uyghur Genocide to promote cooperation and discuss strategies to address the current challenges and how to overcome them. The Convention will also be open to key political, academic, and civil society actors, and joined by Uyghur leaders, witnesses, camp survivors and activists from the global Uyghur diaspora to discuss strategies for advancing the Uyghur issue, exchange best practices, foster collaboration, and, most importantly, network.

World Uyghur Congress Brings Young Uyghur Activists to UN
From June 22-23 , the World Uyghur Congress Program and Advocacy Manager, Zumretay Arkin was joined in Geneva by four young Uyghur activists from Germany, Italy and Sweden to attend the 53rd session of the Human Rights Council. The 53rd session of the HRC is being held from June 19 to July 14. During their visit the delegation attended the Human Rights Council meetings, engaged with diplomats, NGOs and the UN Special Rapporteurs and had the chance to learn from Ms. Arkin’s advocacy experience at the UN. The young activists were selected participants from the Stockholm youth workshop which was organised by the WUC from April 28-30 and during which they learned important skills on national and multilateral human rights advocacy. The main purpose of the visit was to involve the Uyghur youth in the process of the Human Rights Council, to show them how human rights defenders, activists and NGOs can participate in the UN space and how to effectively and in a strategic way bring the Uyghur issue to the international and multilateral space at the UN. 

WUC Issues Joint Letter Ahead of the European Council
On June 28, the World Uyghur Congress together with a group of human rights organisations issued a joint letter to EU Council President Charles Michel and EU Heads of State ahead of the European Council (June 29-30). In addition to topics related to Ukraine, security and defence, and the economy, EU leaders will hold a strategic discussion on the EU’s relation to China during their two day meeting in Brussels.

In the letter the organisations called on the EU to ensure that human rights remain at the core of a robust and ambitious European Union approach to relations with the government of China and reiterated shared urgent concerns on the deteriorating human rights situation for Uyghurs, Tibetans, Hongkongers, Chinese human rights defenders and on the situation in Taiwan. Furthermore, the organisations called on the EU and its member states to issue EU Council conclusions that unequivocally commit to robust and ambitious engagement on human rights; recalibrate the EU strategy to ensure that EU efforts are aimed at fully addressing and improving China’s human rights record, and at defending the international human rights system from the Chinese government’s assault; pro-actively mainstream efforts on human rights in China across all of EU-China relations; set measurable benchmarks and deliverables for human rights progress in China; and commit to use all instruments at their disposal to urgently respond to human rights violations.

Czech Republic Adopts Resolution on Uyghurs
On June 23, the Czech Republic published its position on the human rights atrocities committed by the CCP and adopted a self-confident policy towards China in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic. The resolution condemns the repression of the Uyghurs, which fulfils the characteristics of genocide and crimes against humanity, supports EU negotiations on banning products originating from Uyghur forced labor, calls for an end to policies leading to gross violations of the human rights of national and religious groups in East Turkistan and Tibet, supports the further building of friendly relations with Taiwan, and supports the active policy of the Czech Republic and the EU to diversify ​​supply and value chains in the area of ​​metals and rare earths.

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Event Announcement: “International Uyghur Forum: Global Parliamentarian Convention”
The World Uyghur Congress and its partners are hosting a conference in Tokyo, Japan that will bring together parliamentarians from various countries who are working on the Uyghur Genocide and supporting Uyghurs worldwide. The “International Uyghur Forum: Global Parliamentarian Convention” will take place from October 30-31, 2023 at the National Diet of Japan (House of Representatives Building). Please find more information here.

Join Us in The Hague
On June 30, WUC President Dolkun Isa and the WUC’s Women’s Committee Director, Zumretay Arkin will speak at the Human Rights Film Festival: Women’s Edition. Find more information and tickets 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.