Save Uyghur Statement Regarding European Parliament Resolution on China’s Repression of Uyghurs

The Save Uyghur campaign congratulates the European Parliament for their new resolution regarding China’s repression on Uyghurs and other Turkic nations in occupied East Turkestan (also known as Xinjiang). The resolution approved last Thursday calls China’s systematic human rights abuse against Uyghurs as amounting to “crimes against humanity and a serious risk of genocide.”

Though this resolution falls short of recognizing China’s atrocities against the Uyghurs as genocide, it’s the strongest legislature yet adopted by the European Parliament regarding China’s crackdown on Uyghurs—drawing a tougher line against the Chinese government. Governments of the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and several other countries have already declared China’s treatment of the Uyghurs as genocide, and this recent resolution from the European Parliament follows the release of leaked Chinese polic documents named the “Xinjiang Police Files”—containing the detailed information of more than 20,000 Uyghurs arbitrarily detained and imprisoned in a single county (Konasheher County).

Regarding the resolution, Save Uyghur team lead Serwi Huseyin noted, “We welcome the Europan Parliament’s designation of China’s treatment on Uyghurs as ‘crimes against humanity,’ however it’s disappointing for us hear this resolution has fallen short of recognizing the current Uyghur genocide.” 

“What else does the world need to declare China’s crime against Uyghurs as genocide after seeing the faces of thousands of Uyghur people in Xinjiang Police Files? What we are going through has already met or exceeds the criteria of genocide under the UN Genocide Convention. I hope the passage of this resolution encourages member states of European Parliament to pressure China to stop the ongoing repression in accordance with UN genocide convention.”

This resolution calls on China to close its internment facilities called as reeducation centers and release detainees immediately and unconditionally. It calls on member states to take similar actions to stop the ongoing genocide. Save Uyghur Campaign calls on member states of European Union to take all necessary steps to pressure China to stop the ongoing Uyghur genocide and apply sanctions and ristrictions on business and deplomatic relations under UN Genocide Conviction.