NEWS

World Uyghur Congress Commemorates Urumchi Massacre
On July 5, the WUC commemorated the 14th anniversary of the Urumchi Massacre. On July 5, 2009 thousands of Uyghurs took the streets and marched towards the People’s square in central Urumchi to protest the Chinese government’s handling of the Shaoguan incident in which several Uyghurs were killed by a mob of Chinese factory workers during a dispute. The complete disregard for Uyghur lives and the systematic discrimination faced by the Uyghur people resulted in Uyghurs peacefully protesting in Urumchi to demand equal treatment and for their rights and freedoms to be respected. From July 5-7, 2009 thousands of Uyghurs were killed, disappeared or injured by the hands of Chinese police forces. The Chinese government crack-down on peaceful protests, proved to be a pivotal turning point in the Chinese government’s treatment of the Uyghur people, as the repression would only intensify in the years that followed, leading up to the current genocide. 

“Every July 5th is a dark reminder of the brutality Uyghurs face from the Chinese authorities. The 2009 Urumchi Massacre stands as one of the darkest episodes in the history of the Uyghur people”, said WUC President Dolkun Isa. “The International community must take meaningful steps to end the Uyghur genocide. The repressions faced by Uyghurs will continue to escalate without clear actions and condemnation from world leaders.”

The WUC London Office, together with Stop Uyghur Genocide, the UK Uyghur Community and the Uyghur Solidarity Campaign UK organised a joint protest in front of the Chinese Embassy in London. 

World Uyghur Congress Attends Human Rights Festival In The Hague
On June 30, the World Uyghur Congress President Dolkun Isa and the WUC’s Women’s Committee Director Zumretay Arkin, together with camp survivor Kalbinur Sidik attended the Human Rights Festival, Women’s Rights Edition in The Hague, organised by the Global Human Rights Defence (GHRD). The Women’s Rights Edition focused on films and documentaries relating to women’s rights in various contexts and aimed at raising awareness of current crisis situations affecting women globally.

During the event, the WUC President, Dolkun Isa, and the WUC Women’s Committee Director, Zumretay Arkin spoke on Chinese government’s use of its counter-terrorism act to authorise its genocide policy and targeted campaign against Uyghur and other Turkic women in East Turkistan. Mrs. Sidik shared her experiences inside the concentration camp and highlighted the continuing struggles faced by Uyghur women. 

The festival was a great opportunity for NGOs, activists and victims of persecution to connect and raise awareness about their situation. 

World Uyghur Congress Conducts German-Advocacy
From July 3 – 7, the WUC Berlin Office Director, Gheyuur Qurban, joined the Executive Director of the Campaign for Uyghurs, Rushan Abbas, the Executive Director of the Center for Uyghur Studies, Abdulhakim Idris and the Managing Director of the Axel Springer Freedom Foundation, Antje Schippmann, for advocacy meetings with German parliamentarians. 

On July 3, the delegation met with the German Federal Government Commissioner for Freedom of Religion, Frank Schwabe and with the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the German Bundestag, Michael Roth, to discuss the Uyghur Genocide. Mrs. Abbas conveyed the plight of her sister, Gulshan Abbas, who has been arbitrarily detained since 2018 by the Chinese Communist Party. During the meeting Mr. Roth highlighted the importance of providing full support and solidarity to the Uyghur communities in their efforts to fight against the CCP’s brutal repression.

The delegation furthermore met with Member of the German Bundestag, Roderich Kiesewetter of the Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU), Senior Foreign Policy Adviser of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group of the German Bundestag, Franz Xaver Mauerer, and Members of the German Bundestag Andreas Larem and Michael Müller of the German Social Democrats. On July 6, a productive meeting was held with Members of the German Bundestag, Michael Brand of the Christian Democrats and Renata Alt, member of the Free Democratic Party and Chair of the Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid. The meeting was furthermore joined by Daniel Andrae, the Policy Advisor for the Christian Democratic Union of Germany to discuss how to combat Uyghur forced labor and the Uyghur genocide. 

World Uyghur Congress Attends URAP Legal Retreat
On July 5, the WUC attend a reception hosted by Canadian MP, Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe and the Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project (URAP) which took place in Lac-St-Jean, Quebec. The reception was held ahead of a three-day legal retreat, organised by URAP, which focused on effective legal accountability efforts to help end the CCP’s genocide of Uyghurs. The legal retreat was attended by the World Uyghur Congress, the Uyghur Human Rights Project, URAP, and legal experts from Canada, the US and the UK. The three Uyghur organizations and the lawyers focused on finding effective legal accountability avenues to advance the Uyghur cause.

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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.

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.