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The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) showcased its October activities in its latest newsletter, marking a year under new leadership with a strong focus on global advocacy and Uyghur rights.
The newsletter highlighted commemorations of 76 years since East Turkistan's annexation and 70 years since the creation of the so-called Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, including an event at the European Parliament that outlined the systematic erosion of Uyghur rights. It also detailed high-level meetings across Europe, advocacy efforts in Japan, and actions targeting companies involved in Uyghur surveillance, such as Huawei, Hikvision, and Dahua. According to the newsletter, "Throughout the month, WUC carried out high-level advocacy across Europe. Delegates held productive meetings in the German Bundestag, briefed dozens of diplomats on Uyghur labour transfers, briefed policymakers in the European Parliament and EU institutions on the latest developments in East Turkistan, and participated in Forum 2000, strengthening international cooperation and support for Uyghur rights. In the final days of October, the WUC leadership attended the VOC's China Forum, where they spoke about how the CCP's repression extends far beyond China's borders." The newsletter also highlighted events in Japan: "On September 30, the Japan Uyghur Association (JUA), together with the Japan Uyghur Parliamentary Association, held a symposium at the Japanese Diet titled '70 Years Since the Establishment of the Nameless "Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region" - Questioning China's Ethnic Policy.'" Additionally, the newsletter noted that WUC co-organised a joint protest in Berlin, standing in solidarity with peoples oppressed by Beijing. The Uyghurs are a predominantly Muslim Turkic ethnic group primarily living in China's Xinjiang region, historically known as East Turkistan. According to several media reports, Uyghurs have faced systemic repression under Chinese rule, intensifying in recent decades. The Chinese government has reportedly implemented mass surveillance, arbitrary detention, forced labour, cultural and religious restrictions, and "re-education" camps targeting Uyghurs. Beijing justifies these measures as anti-terrorism and poverty alleviation, but international observers, human rights organisations, and Uyghur activists describe them as cultural genocide and ethnic suppression. The campaign has drawn global criticism for violating human rights, religious freedom, and ethnic autonomy. (ANI)
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