Uyghur

The Uyghurs are a Turkic-speaking ethnic group primarily located in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China, which is in the northwest part of the country. The Uyghurs are one of the 56 officially recognized ethnic groups in China, with a population of over 11 million people. The Uyghurs are predominantly Muslim and have their own unique language and culture.

In recent years, the Chinese government has been accused of committing human rights abuses against the Uyghur population, including arbitrary detention, forced labor, and religious and cultural persecution. Reports from various human rights organizations and media outlets have alleged that up to a million Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities have been detained in “re-education” or “vocational training” centers. The Chinese government denies these allegations and refers to these centers as measures to combat extremism and terrorism in the region. However, many in the international community have expressed concern about the treatment of the Uyghurs and have called for an end to the human rights abuses.

 

 

Law preventing all imports from Uyghur region comes into effect
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Law preventing all imports from Uyghur region comes into effect

A story in Sustainable Brands reviews the impact of the law and how corporations will be required to provide transparency regarding their supply chains. The role of corporations and the lack of due diligence In a conversation with Sustainable Brands, Joanna Ewart-James, Executive Director of Freedom United, noted: “Companies are responsible for ensuring that the…

Your Monday Briefing: A ‘Toothless’ Trip to Xinjiang – The New York Times
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Your Monday Briefing: A ‘Toothless’ Trip to Xinjiang – The New York Times

The U.N.’s top human rights official cozied up to Beijing on a trip to China. Good morning. We’re covering the U.N. human rights chief’s trip to China, India’s expanded protections for sex workers and Ukraine’s offensive in Kherson.  Police officers patrolling in Xinjiang last year.Thomas Peter/Reuters U.N.’s tempered criticism of China The United Nations’ top…

Is British science aiding and abetting the Chinese human organ trade? From the Telegraph
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Is British science aiding and abetting the Chinese human organ trade? From the Telegraph

Between March 2005 and September 2006 Annie Yang was tortured for up to 20 hours a day in a labour camp outside Beijing for her devotion to Falun Gong spiritualism. The abuse was relentless. But every few weeks something strange would happen. She and her fellow captives would be herded onto a prison bus with…

The faces from China’s Uyghur detention camps
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The faces from China’s Uyghur detention camps

Working with a consortium of 14 media organizations from 11 countries, the BBC has been able to authenticate significant elements of the Xinjiang Police Files. The hacked files contain more than 5,000 police photographs of Uyghurs taken between January and July 2018, as well as hundreds of pieces of evidence of arbitrary detention, torture, and…

Data leaked on the whereabouts of thousands of missing Uyghurs
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Data leaked on the whereabouts of thousands of missing Uyghurs

Uyghur activist Nursimangul Abdureshid is a refugee in Turkey. She lost contact with her family five years ago and did not know where they were until 2020. Through the Chinese embassy in Ankara, she was able to confirm that her parents and her younger brother, Memetili, had been imprisoned on terrorism charges. Thanks to the…

Uyghur communities urge UN human rights chief to investigate
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Uyghur communities urge UN human rights chief to investigate

This week Uyghur Muslim refugees in Turkey organized a press conference in Istanbul to urge UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet to independently investigate “re-education camps” and allegations of massive rights abuses including forced labor, torture, and genocide when she finally visits China’s Uyghur Region later this month.  International pressure is intensifying, and Michelle Bachelet…

Japan only G-7 member to not impose sanctions on China for forced labor
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Japan only G-7 member to not impose sanctions on China for forced labor

In October 2021, the trade ministers of the G-7 countries, the world’s richest nations, issued a joint statement pledging to eradicate forced labor in global supply chains. The ministers stated, “We affirm that there is no place for forced labor in the rules-based multilateral trading system.” The declaration recognizes the important role that trade policy…

ATEST Testifies to House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security on Ways to Plug Gaps in U.S. Anti-trafficking Programs
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ATEST Testifies to House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security on Ways to Plug Gaps in U.S. Anti-trafficking Programs

April 27, 2022 • 8:37 am • Terry FitzPatrick ATEST is was well represented at Wednesday’s herring of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security. Speakers at the session included: ATEST Director Terry FitzPatrick (see written testimony here) ATEST member organization Human Trafficking Legal Center Founder and President Martina Vandenberg (see written…

ATEST Recommendations for Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Implementation
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ATEST Recommendations for Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Implementation

Re: Public Comments on Methods to Prevent the Importation of Goods Mined, Produced, or Manufactured with Forced Labor in the People’s Republic of China, Especially in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, into the United States

ATEST Input for 2022 TIP Report on U.S. Government Trafficking Efforts
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ATEST Input for 2022 TIP Report on U.S. Government Trafficking Efforts

February 23, 2022 • 2:05 pm • Terry FitzPatrick February 22, 2022 Dr. Kari Johnstone Acting Director U.S. State Department Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (JTIP) RE: Request for Information for the 2022 Trafficking in Persons Report, United States government input (86 FR 70562) Dear Dr. Johnstone: Thank you for the opportunity…