|
The Parliament of Catalonia has adopted a resolution condemning China's systematic persecution of the Uyghur people, recognising that more than one million Uyghurs have been subjected to mass imprisonment, forced labour and the destruction of their cultural and religious heritage, according to a press release issued by the World Uyghur Congress (WUC).
The resolution, adopted on October 29, calls on European Union (EU) member states and the European Commission to take concrete diplomatic measures in response to human rights violations in East Turkistan. According to the WUC press release, the resolution also urges Catalan companies to ensure that their supply chains are free from links to forced labour in the region. It further commits to supporting Uyghurs fleeing persecution in East Turkistan, in accordance with international law and applicable protection frameworks. Welcoming the development, WUC President Turgunjan Alawdun thanked the Parliament of Catalonia for supporting the Uyghur people and called for concrete measures to address the alleged human rights violations. On behalf of the Uyghur people, I thank the Parliament of Catalonia for standing with those whose voices China seeks to silence, Alawdun said. He added that the resolution should translate into practical action, including preventing forced labour from entering supply chains, protecting those fleeing persecution and pursuing accountability. He also urged governments across Europe to follow Catalonia's example and turn their human rights commitments into concrete protection for the Uyghur people. The WUC press release noted that 2026 marks the tenth anniversary of what it describes as the ongoing Uyghur genocide and the fifth anniversary of the findings of the Independent Uyghur Tribunal in London. According to the organisation, more than three million Uyghurs have been subjected to forced labour, mass imprisonment, family separation and forced sterilisation over the past decade. The WUC maintains that these policies include acts of genocide as defined under the 1948 Genocide Convention. Calling for stronger international intervention, the organisation urged more European governments and parliaments to recognise what it describes as the ongoing Uyghur genocide and use their political influence to hold China accountable. It further called on EU member states and governments worldwide to follow Catalonia's example by urging companies to completely disengage their supply chains from East Turkistan and designating the region as a high-risk area for forced labour. The WUC also urged governments to consistently call on China to end its policies against the Uyghur people, both through public statements and bilateral diplomatic engagements. Additionally, the organisation called for a review and strengthening of refugee protection and family reunification policies to ensure that Uyghurs fleeing political persecution receive adequate protection and that families separated by repression have meaningful opportunities to reunite. (ANI)
|
