Justice For All’s Save Uyghur Campaign Responds to USCIRF Report on Religious Oppression in Chinese-Occupied East Turkistan

Washington, D.C. — October 4, 2024

For Immediate Release

Contact: Hena Zuberi

hena@justiceforall.org

(202) 922-5878

Justice For All’s Save Uyghur Campaign is deeply concerned by the recent report published by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which highlights the severe oppression and restrictions imposed on religious groups in China, particularly focusing on the Uyghur Muslim community. The report outlines the Chinese government’s coercive “sinicization of religion” policy, which aims to subordinate religious practices to the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) political agenda. Justice For All commends the work USCIRF has done in promoting and protecting religious freedom and we support the bill that would extend and authorize annual appropriations for USCIRF through fiscal year 2026 so that this important work can continue.

According to the USCIRF report, “the government has implemented the coercive ‘sinicization of religion’ policy, which has fundamentally transformed China’s religious environment.” This alarming transformation has led to egregious human rights abuses against religious groups, especially the predominantly Muslim Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples living in Chinese-occupied East Turkistan.

The report estimates that “authorities placed an estimated one million Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples in political reeducation camps,” where they are forced to renounce their language, culture, and religious traditions. This systematic erasure of identity is a direct violation of internationally protected rights to freedom of religion and belief.

Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid, President of Justice For All, remarked, “The findings of the USCIRF report are a stark reminder of the ongoing atrocities faced by Uyghur Muslims. The systematic genocide being perpetrated against this community is not just a violation of human rights; it is an affront to humanity itself. We must unite our voices to demand accountability and justice for those who are suffering under this brutal regime.”

The report details the Chinese government’s coercive “sinicization” policy, which aims to eradicate Uyghur culture and religion. It states, “Authorities have closed and destroyed religious sites, including mosques and shrines central to preserving Uyghur culture.” This destruction of cultural heritage is a deliberate attempt to erase the identity of the Uyghur people.

Arslan Hidayat, Team Lead of the Save Uyghur Campaign, emphasized, “The evidence of genocide against the Uyghur people is undeniable. The USCIRF report provides critical insights into the extent of the atrocities committed by the Chinese government. As the report highlights, ‘the government has sought to turn religious occasions into celebrations of communism,’ which is a direct attack on the fundamental rights of the Uyghur community.”

In these camps, Uyghurs are subjected to a range of abuses, including “torture, forced labor, rape, forced sterilization, and forced abortion.” Such inhumane treatment is not only a violation of human rights but also a blatant attempt to eradicate the Uyghur culture and Islamic faith.

Moreover, the report highlights that the Chinese authorities have sought to turn religious occasions into celebrations of communism, banning traditional Islamic practices such as wearing beards and veils, and fasting during Ramadan. This aggressive sinicization campaign aims to suppress the Uyghur identity and enforce conformity to CCP ideology.

Justice For All’s Save Uyghur Campaign stands in solidarity with the Uyghur community and calls for immediate international action to hold the Chinese government accountable for its actions. The report emphasizes that “these government measures have routinely violated the internationally protected right to freedom of religion or belief,” and it is imperative that the global community responds. We urge the U.S. government and international organizations to take decisive steps to address these human rights violations. The USCIRF report serves as a crucial reminder of the ongoing plight of the Uyghurs and the need for sustained advocacy and intervention.