Press Release – For immediate release
4 May 2015
Contact: World Uyghur Congress www.uyghurcongress.org
0049 (0) 89 5432 1999 or [email protected]

Dear High Representative Mogherini,

We write to you on the occasion of your current visit to Beijing, China, on May 5-6. In writing, the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) would like to urge you to substantively take up the issue of ongoing human rights violations, particularly in East Turkestan (Xinjiang) affecting some 20 million Uyghur living there.We recognize that it is in the best interest of the European Union (EU) to forge a strong relationship with states outside of its own membership in order to sustain amicable social, political and economic ties. It must also be reinforced, however, that the EU maintains a position that requires the promotion of the most basic human rights standards internationally.

Although there are limits to the influence of individual states at the international level, the EU represents the collective will of 28 nations, all of whom see human rights as both universal and indivisible. The EU was founded on a strong foundation that looks to promote and protect human rights, democracy and the rule of law worldwide – a commitment that “underpins all internal and external policies of the European Union”. This promotion thus extends beyond EU borders, particularly when engaging with non-EU states.

Although the human rights situation for the Uyghur people living in East Turkestan (Xinjiang) has been poor for years, it has since been deteriorating significantly in recent months. Anti-terror and religious extremism laws have recently taken effect in the region, both of which clearly violate internationally recognized human rights norms as well as China’s own constitution. The laws not only breach these recognized norms, they significantly undermine any potential solution to the developing conflict between the Chinese government and the Uyghur people.

Religious practice has been severely limited, speech rights have been all but removed from acceptable exercise, freedom of movement continues to be restricted, and Uyghur culture is progressively diluted. Many of these practices have therefore been severely sanctioned by the state and have resulted in the imprisonment of thousands – thousands left without adequate judicial safeguards imbedded within a system designed to suppress truth and the exercise of justice.

The WUC would therefore like to offer some concise recommendations to be included in your dialogue in the coming days:

• Raise the issue of the violation of the human rights of the Uyghur people – too often is the Uyghur issue completely suppressed from any dialogue in favour of political and economic considerations.

• Discuss the recently passed counter-terrorism laws in relation to its legality under international law as well as EU standards. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International (among others) have publicly stated that the recently adopted legislation contains elements that are in clear violation of international human rights standards act as little more than a license to commit further human rights abuses.

• Urge Chinese leaders to release Uyghur-rights activists whom remain in prison. Ilham Tohti is the most prominent Uyghur who has been imprisoned since January, 2014, and was sentenced to life imprisonment back in September. His case is held up as an example by the Chinese government for all those involved in criticism of the state. Along with dialogue with China, the EU must work to galvanize public support for his release.

• Reinforce the EU’s statement made under Item 4 at the 28^th session of the Human Rights Council which stated that the crackdown on human rights defenders and the situation in Tibet and East Turkestan will be topics of discussion in future bilateral talks.

• Develop a way to create a more transparent environment in relation to these discussions. The people of China as well as citizens of the member states of the EU deserve the opportunity to observe and critique the actions of their governments. EU leaders must be accountable and responsive to their citizens demands that human rights must be a crucial aspect to bilateral relationships such as these. The EU must also stress to China the importance of accountability and the advantages and necessity of the promotion of democracy.

Our aforementioned recommendations will be crucial in developing a more robust bilateral relationship between the EU and China. As a strategic partner, China is appreciably more valuable to the EU if they are urged to tackle the most pressing human rights concerns that we have outlined.

We therefore urge you, Ms. Mogherini, to take up the issue of continuing human rights violations in China. Human rights violations that affect the most vulnerable populations, supporters of democracy, independent journalists, and other activists are deeply corrosive to any progress that we may achieve in terms of the promotion of basic human dignity.

Sincerely,

Dolkun Isa
Executive Committee Chairman
World Uyghur Congress

You may read a PDF copy of the letter here.