NEWS

WUC Condemns Campaign of Threats Against Staff, Leadership and Scholars
On September 5, the WUC has released an official statement condemning the campaign of threats, disinformation and smear tactics against its staff, leadership and scholars. In recent weeks, the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) has faced a coordinated disinformation and smear campaign targeting its leadership and staff, including the interim president, Dr. Erkin Ekrem, Vice President Perhat Muhammed, and others. The campaign has used personal attacks to spread false information and harm their reputations. The WUC has also been approached with repeated requests for private information on Mr. Dolkun Isa in exchange for money. Additionally, anonymous individuals claiming to represent the WUC have been sending threats to scholars who have signed a joint letter against harassment. The WUC strongly condemns these actions, reaffirming that the individual does not speak on behalf of the organization. The WUC firmly rejects any threats made against individuals, especially for  expressing their opinion and calls for a cautious response when anyone purports to speak on behalf of the WUC, outside official channels. 

These smear campaigns aim to intimidate Uyghur activists, discredit the WUC, and weaken the global Uyghur rights movement. The WUC remains committed to monitoring these incidents and ensuring a safe environment for its members, standing firm in its mission to protect Uyghur human rights.

Stop Uyghur Genocide Urges FCA to Block Shein’s London Stock Exchange Listing 
On August 30, the Solicitors Journal reported that Stop Uyghur Genocide (SUG) has urged the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to block Shein’s potential listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) due to the company’s supply chains being tainted by Uyghur forced labor. SUG, led by World Uyghur Congress UK Director Rahima Mahmut, has submitted a detailed dossier to the FCA, arguing that Shein’s supply chains violate the UK’s Modern Slavery Act by including materials sourced from forced labour in East Turkistan. The dossier includes a letter to Shein’s executives and evidence such as references to a 2024 Court of Appeal judgement acknowledging widespread human rights abuses in the cotton industry in East Turkistan, from which 85% of China’s cotton originates, and a Bloomberg report from 2022 confirming the presence of Uyghur cotton in Shein’s products. SUG contends that allowing Shein to trade on the LSE would not only breach legal standards but also erode consumer trust.

Uyghur Woman Fights for Her Missing Brother
On August 30, Bitter Winter revisited the heartbreaking story of Rizwangul NurMuhammad, a New Zealand-based Uyghur woman whose brother, Mewlan NurMuhammad, disappeared in 2017 during the mass detentions of Uyghurs in East Turkistan. Mewlan was arrested during his lunch break and sentenced to nine years for “separatist activities.” Despite initial hope for his release in March 2019, he was transferred from an internment camp to a prison in Bole city, before being moved to a prison in Shihezi city. Rizwangul has faced silence and obstruction in her tireless efforts to uncover his whereabouts. Her enquiries through the UN’s Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Detention (WGEID) and subsequent appeals have been met with little response. As she observes the United Nations International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, Rizwangul continues to fight for justice, demanding Mewlan’s immediate release and holding Beijing accountable for its human rights violations. The prolonged silence and lack of communication from her family in East Turkistan have left her deeply troubled, particularly as Mewlan’s young son, born shortly before his father’s disappearance, grows up without him.

Pakistan-Based Uyghur Businessmen Praise China During Controversial Visit
On August 29, Radio Free Asia reported that a group of Pakistan-based Uyghur businessmen praised China’s genocidal policies during an eight-day, Beijing-funded trip to East Turkistan. These businessmen, most of whom were ethnic Uyghurs and members of the Ex-Chinese Association Pakistan, established in 2007 with China’s support, shared social media posts depicting Uyghurs and other Muslims living happily in the region. However, their actions have been heavily criticised by Uyghur activists for endorsing Chinese propaganda and ignoring the severe oppression faced by the Uyghurs living in East Turkistan.

The delegation’s visit included stops in Urumchi, Korla, and Kashgar, where they attended special banquets, raised Chinese flags, and participated in events organised by officials. The Pakistani businessmen, whose association with the Ex-Chinese Association Pakistan ties them closely to Chinese interests, are seen by many as complicit in promoting a distorted narrative of the situation in East Turkistan, further fueling outrage among Uyghurs both in Pakistan and abroad. In Pakistan, approximately 1,000 Uyghur families are stateless and do not have Pakistani citizenship, fearing deportation to China. This trip, the first to involve ethnic Uyghurs from a Muslim-majority country, is seen as part of China’s ongoing efforts to counter accusations of genocide against Uyghurs.

China Condemns U.S. Sanctions on East Turkistan
On September 3, Radio Free Asia reported on China’s continued denial of the Uyghur genocide and slavery by adopting a resolution condemning a series of U.S. sanctions and providing support for companies involved in Uyghur forced labor. The U.S. sanctions, introduced under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) in 2022, aim to block American entities from engaging with companies using forced Uyghur labor. As of August 2024, 73 companies, involved in industries such as textiles and solar products, have been blacklisted for their ties to forced labor in East Turkistan. The Chinese resolution criticizes the U.S. for disrupting regional stability and misrepresenting conditions in East Turkistan, where Beijing asserts that workers’ rights are protected and policies focus on poverty alleviation.

The resolution encourages local governments to support sanctioned companies by enhancing their market presence and innovation, and calls for the restoration of a fair market environment. Beijing continues to deny allegations of genocide and forced labor, framing the sanctions as unjustified attacks on China’s economic stability.

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Stop Uyghur Genocide is Hiring
Stop Uyghur Genocide is hiring a Communications Officer and Coordinator. Apply with your CV and a cover letter detailing your qualifications. Submit your application to [email protected] by September 12 at 11:59 PM.