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Rushan Abbas, Chair of the World Uyghur Congress Executive Committee, and Omer Kanat, Executive Director of the Uyghur Human Rights Project, participated in the 18th Roll Call of Nations Wreath Laying Ceremony in Washington, DC, an event organised by the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation to honour the memory of those who suffered under totalitarian regimes, including the Uyghur people.
The ceremony brought together survivors, human rights defenders, and international allies to commemorate the victims of totalitarian rule, including members of the Uyghur community, as reported by the World Uyghur Congress(WUC). At the ceremony, Abbas and Kanat placed a wreath to honour Uyghur victims. They joined attendees in acknowledging Congressman Chris Smith, recipient of the 2025 Truman-Reagan Medal of Freedom. Smith, widely respected for his steadfast support of persecuted groups, was praised for his strong moral leadership in championing justice and human rights, as reported by World Uyghur Congress (WUC). Recently, the WUC strongly condemned the recent circulation of propaganda videos showing Uyghur dancers performing in prominent squares in Paris and Budapest. According to WUC, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is using these staged cultural shows to mask the ongoing genocide in East Turkistan and falsely portray the region as culturally free and vibrant. The Uyghur people, a minority in China's Xinjiang region, have faced severe persecution by the Chinese government. Reports reveal mass arbitrary detentions in so-called "re-education" camps, forced labour, surveillance, religious restrictions, and cultural erasure. Human rights organisations and international bodies have described these actions as crimes against humanity and, in some cases, genocide. Uyghurs are often targeted simply for practising Islam, speaking their language, or preserving their heritage. Despite global condemnation, the Chinese government denies wrongdoing, framing its actions as counter-terrorism. The Uyghur community continues to call for justice, freedom, and international pressure to end the abuses. (ANI)
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