China’s Broad Anti-Terror Law Quietly Passes. French Journalist Expelled from China for Uyghur Story. WUC President Awarded Lantos Prize in Washington. UN Committee Against Torture Releases Concluding Observations
Rights groups including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International harshly condemnedthe legislation, citing fears that its incredibly broad and vague language amounts to little more than a recipe for clear abuses. The new laws have defined terrorism and terrorism-related activities so broadly that almost anything may be construed as relating to terrorist acts, including mere mild dissent or criticism of the state’s policies.
Additional aspects of the legislation that prove worrying include provisions that set even stricter limits on media reporting on incidents involving what the state may label as terrorism. A persistent issue for the international community is that the vast majority of information that comes out of East Turkestan is heavily filtered through the state media apparatus that maintains clear biases.
Chinese officials have cited a growing threat from militants and separatists as the impetus for many of the provisions of the legislation as well as provisions insisting that technology firms work to help fight terror as well. The law comes on the heels of a revised national security law that was passed in July as well as anti-extremism legislation passed in early 2015. UN Security Council Resolutions have stressed the importance of ensuring that measures taken to combat terrorism must remain in compliance with existing obligations under international law, particularly human rights law.
The article was originally written for the French news magazine L’Obs and explores the strained relationship the Uyghur community maintains with the Chinese central government and scrutinizes its response to the recent Paris attacks and the dubious links that were made between international terrorism and violence that has taken place in East Turkestan of late.
Gauthier pinpoints much of the opportunism shown by Chinese leadership in attempting to sway international opinion in favour of their own supposed campaign against terrorism. The piece is a fair and accurate counter-narrative to that which the state oft-repeats whenever violence erupts in the region as she explains that the radicalization of young people has been driven by desperation and “ruthless repression that crushes all aspects of Uyghur life”.
It is telling that much of the international community has not been altogether surprised at the outcome for Ms. Gauthier, as the past two years have seen a much more dramatic crackdown on independent journalism as well as freedom in academia and the work ofhuman rights lawyers. It is also an incredibly troubling development. East Turkestan remains one of the most difficult regions on the planet to obtain independent information from as communication blackouts, heavy censorship, and intimidation persist.
The award ceremony took place on Human Rights Day, December 10, 2015, and included speeches from each of the recipients. In her statement, Ms. Kadeer reinforced the importance of standing up for human rights for those that have no voice, particularly those who have been imprisoned unjustly. She also highlighted the significance of openly raising these concerns with the Chinese authorities and pushing for true accountability.
The prize has been awarded each year since 2009 to raise awareness about human rights violations and the individuals committed to fighting them throughout the world. The award also looks to draw attention to the importance of human rights as a matter of government policy – one that stands on equal footing with other policy concerns – and has been awarded to the Dalai Lama, Chen Guangcheng and Elie Wiesel, among others.
The Concluding Observations included a number of issues that persist within China’s criminal justice system that allow and even encourage the use of torture. One issue in particular has been China’s unwillingness to provide detailed information regarding specific allegations of torture of detainees. Of particular relevance has been the case of Ilham Tohti, whose abuse has been documented as far as possible under the constraints of the justice system.
During the interactive dialogue that took place November 17-18, 2015, the Chinese delegation refused to respond to a number of crucial questions from the Committee. Those questions that were responded to were often vague and inadequate, owing to China’s clear disdain of participation in multi-lateral human rights dialogue, and calling the final report “biased and inaccurate”.
Rabiya Kadeer is awarded Lantos Prize at ceremony in Washington
At a ceremony on December 10th, WUC President Rebiya Kadeer was awarded the 2015 Lantos Human Rights Prize by the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice alongside two other women of Muslim heritage, Irshad Manji and Ayaan Hirsi Ali. Ms. Kadeer along with the other women were recognized as “fearless leaders, reformers and rebels who have been willing to defy social and cultural norms to speak out against human rights abuses”.
WUC recognizes International Human Rights Day
Uyghur groups celebrate International Human Rights Day in Europe
On December 10th, Uyghur organizations joined together across Europe in Munich, Oslo, Stockholm and the Hague to celebrate the 67th annual International Human Rights Day. The day is meant to symbolize both the enormous progress that has been made since 1948 as well as some of the significant challenges that remain, and Uyghur organizations were provided the opportunity to raise human rights issues that persist in East Turkestan today.
WUC and UAA commemorate student demonstrations in Urumqi
On December 12th, the WUC and Uyghur American Association commemorated the 30-year anniversary of the student demonstrations that took place in Urumqi on September 12th, 1985. More than 15,000 took part in the demonstrations that demanded that nuclear tests be stopped, as well as significant population transfers to the region and family planning policies, fair representation in government, and the discontinuation of discrimination against the Uyghur population.
WUC president accepts award recognizing 10 year anniversary of prison release
On December 12th, WUC president Rebiya Kadeer was invited to the Netherlands by the Turkish Society in the Netherlands to accept an award recognizing the 10th anniversary of her release from prison in China which recognized her courage and resilience throughout and her continued advocacy work. Members of the Uyghur and Turkish communities in the Netherlands joined for the event.
WUC Executive Committee Chairman visits Washington DC
Dolkun Isa, WUC Executive Committee Chairman, visited Washington DC from December 8-14 to attend the Lantos Prize ceremony for Ms. Rebiya Kadeer. He also was able to meet with a number of congressional staff members to discuss the Uyghur situation in relation to the US government. Mr. Isa was also able to meet with a number of other civil society groups as well as members of the media, including journalists from the New York Times.
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