Press Release – For immediate release
22 August 2022
Contact: World Uyghur Congress www.uyghurcongress.org
0049 (0) 89 5432 1999 or [email protected]

The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) expresses solidarity with the 47 pro-democracy activists – including lawmakers, journalists and academics – facing unjust charges under Hong Kong’s draconian National Security Law.

Those on trial are aged between 24 and 66, and some face sentences as harsh as life in prison. These activists are being persecuted by the state for peacefully striving for a democratic Hong Kong. Their trial – which has been marred by censorship, delays, and the denial of a jury – reminds us once again of just how rapidly Hongkongers have seen their fundamental rights stripped away.

“This is yet another example of the CCP’s brutal response to any calls for freedom or democracy” said WUC President, Dolkun Isa. “Uyghur people know too well the consequences of inaction. Chinese authoritarianism will continue to destroy communities and violate international standards until the world takes coordinated steps to challenge these ongoing threats to global human rights.”

WUC stands with Hongkongers struggling the Chinese government’s repression just as Hongkongers have stood with Uyghurs as they face genocide. The world must condemn the inhumane arrest and trial of these peaceful activists, the wider destruction of Hong Kong’s democracy and the Chinese government’s ever-increasing authoritarian reach.