NEWS

World Uyghur Congress Issues Press Release Criticising Visit of Turkish Foreign Minister to East Turkistan
On June 3, the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) issued a press release expressing concern over Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s visit to China, where he met with Chinese officials including Vice President Han Zheng, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and security chief Chen Wenqing. The visit included stops in Urumchi and Kashgar in East Turkistan, marking the first official visit by a Turkish official to the region since President Erdogan’s trip in 2012. The WUC furthermore emphasized Türkiye’s longstanding condemnation of China’s repressive policies against the Uyghurs and urged Foreign Minister Fidan to utilize this opportunity to demand an end to the persecution and genocide of Uyghurs. 

“In the past, Türkiye has consistently voiced its condemnation of China’s repressive policies on the international stage. The upcoming visit of Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is of particular concern, especially in light of China’s propaganda”, said World Uyghur Congress President Dolkun Isa. “This is also a key opportunity for Türkiye to raise its concerns directly with the Chinese authorities, and demand an end to the religious, cultural and linguistic persecution  of Uyghurs as well as the genocide.”

Foreign Minister Fidan’s visit has furthermore raised concerns due to the increasing repression faced by the Uyghur diaspora in Türkiye. Türkiye hosts one of the largest Uyghur diaspora communities globally. However, reports indicate that Chinese transnational networks in the country harass and intimidate Uyghurs, using various coercive tactics to silence them or pressure them into participating in pro-China propaganda efforts.

World Uyghur Congress Highlights Forced Labor at UN Climate Change Conference 
On June 6, Zumretay Arkin, the WUC Director of Global Advocacy, attended the UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn. During a side-event on corporate accountability and just transitions, Ms Arkin emphasised the need to address forced labour in the solar and electric vehicle industries. She highlighting that minerals mined with human rights violations are being imported by China into East Turkistan, where they are being processed by Uyghur forced labour. She furthermore called for international solidarity to tackle these issues.

Research reveals that nearly 1,500 companies, including major global retailers and tech firms, risk exposure to forced labour in their supply chains linked to East Turkistan.

WUC Berlin Office Director Among 100 Key Figures on The German-Speaking China Scene
On June 6, Table Media announced that World Uyghur Congress Berlin Office Director,  Haiyuer Kuerban is among the 100 key figures in the German-speaking China scene. Selected by the China.table editorial team in ten categories ranging from politics to administration, consulting, think tanks, and business, Mr. Kuerban was recognized for his political engagement and activism, coordinating the activities of around 30 organisations advocating for the rights of the Uyghurs. In exchanges with German politicians and the media, he addresses the human rights abuses and genocide against Uyghurs committed by the Chinese government.

Guard Fatally Shoots Two Uyghur Brothers at Qarabughra Prison
On June 6, Radio Free Asia reported that two Uyghur brothers, Sidikjan Ablikim, 35, and Ablehet Ablikim, 33, were shot and killed by a guard at Qarabughra Prison in Xinjiang’s Kunes county. The incident began when a guard dragged Ablehet, leading Sidikjan to intervene. A fight broke out, involving a third inmate, ending with the guard fatally shooting both brothers. Details about the brothers’ reasons for their imprisonment are unclear.

Qarabughra Prison, one of the largest detention centres in the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, has expanded since 2017 to accommodate the mass detention of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims. Following the brothers’ deaths, authorities released their bodies, but details surrounding the incident remain scarce.

PARTICIPATE 

Join Us for a Special Screening and Q&A: “In Search of My Sister”
On June 24, the Delphi LUX in Berlin will hold a special screening of “In Search of My Sister”, a powerful documentary following human rights activist Rushan Abbas as she uncovers the truth behind her sister’s disappearance and exposes the atrocities against Uyghurs in Chinese ‘re-education camps’.

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.