World Uyghur Congress to host key dialogue on Uyghur repression and digital surveillance

The World Uyghur Congress will hold a discussion at RightsCon Taiwan on Uyghur transnational repression, digital surveillance, and genocide. Experts will highlight human rights abuses, China's policies, and global responses to the crisis.  

The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) is set to organize a crucial discussion at RightsCon, a global conference on human rights in the digital era. The event will take place in Taiwan from February 24-27, marking the first time the conference is being held in the country.

Discussion on transnational repression and surveillance

WUC’s session, titled "Transnational Repression and Surveillance: The Uyghur Genocide in a Digital Age," will be held on February 27 from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM. The panel will feature key experts, including:

• Zumretay Arkin (WUC representative)
• Haiyuer Kuerban (Director, WUC Berlin office)
• Tim Niven (Research Lead, Doublethink Lab)
• Rushan Abbas (Executive Director, Campaign for Uyghurs)

The discussion will address China's use of surveillance, transnational repression, and the impact on Uyghur communities.

What is the World Uyghur Congress?

The WUC, founded in 2004, is a non-governmental organization advocating for the rights and freedoms of Uyghurs, a persecuted ethnic minority from China's Xinjiang region. It works to raise global awareness of human rights violations, including:

• Mass detentions in re-education camps
• Forced labor and religious suppression
• Cultural erasure and surveillance

China’s treatment of Uyghurs: global outrage

China's treatment of Uyghurs has led to widespread international condemnation. Reports detail mass detention, forced sterilization, family separation, and systematic repression of Uyghur culture, religion, and language. The Chinese government denies these claims, calling its policies counterterrorism measures.

International response and Amnesty International report

A 2021 Amnesty International report titled "China: Draconian Repression of Muslims in Xinjiang Amounts to Crimes Against Humanity" exposed:

• Torture and mistreatment in detention camps
• Mass surveillance on Uyghurs in Xinjiang
• Systematic human rights violations

Governments and human rights organizations worldwide have condemned China’s actions, labeling them as crimes against humanity.