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The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) has released its weekly brief, highlighting a series of international developments reflecting growing attention to China's ongoing repression of Uyghurs, ranging from high-level human rights consultations in Europe to new legislative action in Canada.
WUC Vice President Zumretay Arkin participated in a meeting on 21 October with the European External Action Service (EEAS), joined by representatives from Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, FIDH, and the International Campaign for Tibet. Arkin highlighted that the Uyghur genocide continues unabated, citing China's transnational repression and propaganda efforts aimed at denying atrocities. She urged European policymakers to maintain consistent scrutiny and accountability toward Beijing's human rights record. In a separate development, the WUC welcomed Canada's introduction of Bill C-251, a new proposal to prohibit the import of goods made with Uyghur forced labour. Sponsored by MP Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay and supported by Bloc Quebecois leader Yves-Francois Blanchet, the bill seeks to close loopholes that have previously allowed products tied to forced or child labour into Canada. Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project Executive Director Mehmet Tohti urged lawmakers to unite behind the legislation, calling it a test of Canada's moral commitment to global human rights. On October 22, the WUC extended congratulations to Japan's newly elected Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, recognising her longstanding support for Uyghur human rights as Vice-Chair of Japan's Uyghur Parliamentary Group. The group also praised Keiji Furuya and Arfiya Eri for their continued roles in Japanese leadership, emphasising their advocacy for justice and human dignity. Meanwhile, US lawmakers from the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) urged President Donald Trump to raise the plight of detained Uyghurs, including Gulshan Abbas and Ekpar Asat, during his upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the APEC Summit. The WUC echoed calls for action against China's use of arbitrary detentions and exit bans. Highlighting positive progress, the WUC noted that the Uyghur language has been officially added to the UN Migration Handbook under Canada's M-62 initiative, marking a milestone for cultural recognition and refugee integration. The WUC also renewed its call for European companies to sever ties with Chinese surveillance giants Hikvision and Dahua, accused of aiding mass surveillance in Xinjiang. The week concluded with renewed focus on the case of Uyghur activist Idris Hasan, whose release from Moroccan detention and reunion with his family in Canada symbolises global resistance against China's transnational repression. (ANI)
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