WUC vice president Zumretay Arkin to contest Canadian federal by-election as Bloc Qubcois candidate

In a press release, the WUC said Arkin served as its Vice President from October 2024 to October 2026, overseeing international affairs. The organisation expressed support for her entry into electoral politics, describing her candidacy as an opportunity for Uyghur representation within democratic institutions.

"We are thrilled to see one of our own step into the political arena in a democratic country like Canada," WUC President Turgunjan Alawdun said in the release. "Zumretay's candidacy sends a powerful message that Uyghurs will not be silenced, and that our community's voice belongs in democratic institutions."

According to the WUC, Arkin joined its headquarters in Munich in September 2019 and subsequently served as Director of Global Advocacy, leading the organisation's international advocacy efforts. In October 2021, she was elected Chair of the WUC Women's Committee during its seventh General Assembly in Prague. Three years later, at the organisation's eighth General Assembly in October 2024, she was elected Vice President in charge of international affairs.

The organisation said Arkin worked with international institutions, governments, parliamentarians, civil society groups and media organisations to raise concerns over the human rights situation of Uyghurs. It highlighted her engagement with the United Nations and other multilateral forums, where she advocated for the rights of the Uyghur community.

The WUC also stated that Arkin continued her advocacy work despite what it described as pressure and intimidation linked to China's campaign of transnational repression. The organisation characterised her work as an important contribution to its efforts to bring international attention to the situation facing Uyghurs.

In recognition of her human rights advocacy, Arkin received the Four Freedoms Award in the Netherlands in April 2024, according to the press release.

The WUC said her candidacy draws on years of engagement with international decision-makers and institutions on fundamental freedoms and human rights. The organisation expressed its support for her political endeavour and called on members of the Uyghur community to stand with her.

Arkin is contesting the by-election as the Bloc Qubcois candidate in Laurier-Sainte-Marie, a federal electoral district in Montreal, according to the WUC's announcement. (ANI)