Justice For All’s Save Uyghur Campaign Denounces OIC Delegation’s Visit to Chinese-Occupied East Turkistan

Washington, D.C. — October 31, 2024

For Immediate Release

Contact: Hena Zuberi

hena@justiceforall.org

(202) 922-5878

(Washington D.C. ) Justice For All’s Save Uyghur Campaign is deeply concerned about the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) recent visit to China, particularly part of their visit to Chinese-occupied East Turkistan between October 16-19, an area fraught with grave human rights abuses amounting to genocide, against the Uyghur Muslims and other Turkic peoples. This scripted visit seems to have been orchestrated by the Chinese government to hide the ongoing atrocities committed by the Chinese regime under the guise of combating extremism, constituting one of the most severe humanitarian crises of our time.

The OIC delegation, representing 26 member states alongside the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission, reportedly engaged in discussions with Chinese officials including members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), centering on enhancing diplomatic relations and purported undertakings in favor of the Muslim community in China. Observers noted a concerning focus on cooperation rather than asking the hard and critical questions and calling for accountability regarding the widespread allegations of genocidal acts committed against Uyghur Muslims.

Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid, President of Justice For All, expressed profound disappointment: “This visit is not just a diplomatic courtesy but an unforgivable betrayal of millions who are suffering under oppressive regimes. By failing to address the egregious human rights violations, the OIC delegation has inadvertently aligned itself with policies intended to annihilate a population’s cultural and religious identity. It’s essential that the OIC use its influence to challenge, not endorse, China’s human rights record.”

Arslan Hidayat, Team Lead for the Save Uyghur Campaign, declared: “We are outraged that the OIC, representing the global Muslim community, has prioritized meaningless dialogues over the cries of their Uyghur brothers and sisters. The history books will remember this as a moment when needed courage was shelved for comfort and appeasement. Our call to action is dire and immediate: stop legitimizing and start advocating for the voiceless and unjustly imprisoned.”

The Uyghur people continue to endure mass detentions, forced labor, surveillance, and religious repression which has thoroughly been reported by the United Nations. Justice For All’s Save Uyghur Campaign urgently calls on all member states of the OIC and the international community to acknowledge these atrocities, push for unrestricted access to the region by independent observers, and condemn the abject human rights abuses firmly and unequivocally.