The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) just dropped its latest weekly update, shining a spotlight on the heartbreaking human rights abuses in East Turkistan. They’re calling out China’s intimidation tactics against Uyghurs living abroad, the shocking role of companies in forced labor, and the ongoing mystery of missing Uyghur doctor Gulshan Abbas’s disappearance.
It all kicked off at the UN Human Rights Council’s 60th session on September 8. UN High Commissioner Volker Turk sounded the alarm, saying basic freedoms are under massive threat around the world. He mentioned ongoing talks with Beijing but admitted there’s zero progress in protecting Uyghurs, other Muslim groups in East Turkistan, or Tibetans. The WUC agrees, pointing out that even with UN mentions of East Turkistan, nothing’s changing. They want bolder global steps to stop what they describe as an active genocide against Uyghurs.
In a recent chat on September 2, WUC Vice President Zumretay Arkin opened up to Scarlett Gamble from the Centre for the Study of Organised Hate. Arkin explained how China silences Uyghur activists overseas through scary tactics like threatening their families back home, harassing phone calls, spying apps, hacking, sneaking into community groups, and spreading fake news with deepfakes or nasty personal attacks. She warned that this online poison is mixing with real-life scares and even twisted use of tools like Interpol Red Notices.
Forced labor is another big red flag in the Uyghur human rights crisis. A fresh probe by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism and the Pulitzer Centre uncovered how Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and Kyrgyz people are forced to work in shoe factories in Jinjiang, China—a spot that makes one in every five pairs of sneakers worldwide. Big names like Nike, Skechers, Vans, and Timberland link back to suppliers involved in these schemes. Sure, some brands moved factories to Vietnam, but trade data shows raw materials tied to Uyghur forced labor still sneak into global supply chains. This could weaken laws like the US Uyghur Forced Labour Prevention Act, making it harder to fight corporate complicity.
The WUC also marked a grim milestone: seven years since Uyghur doctor Gulshan Abbas vanished in 2018 after Chinese authorities detained her. Her story highlights thousands of similar enforced disappearances in East Turkistan. The group is demanding her immediate release and pushing the world to take real action against China’s Uyghur abuses.
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