CFU PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 9, 2025, 1:50 PM EST
Contact: contact@campaignforuyghurs.org
+1 650-703-4523
https://campaignforuyghurs.org
Washington, D.C. – Campaign for Uyghurs (CFU) applauds the advancement of the Uyghur Policy Act of 2025 (H.R. 2635), which passed the House Foreign Affairs Committee today with bipartisan support. Introduced by Rep. Young Kim, Rep. Ami Bera, Chair of the Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific, and Ranking Member Rep. Gregory Meeks, the bill addresses not only the atrocities taking place in the Uyghur Region, but also the global dimensions of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) repression.
Originally introduced and passed in the House with strong bipartisan support during the 117th and 118th Congresses, the bill’s reintroduction and advancement mark a renewed commitment by the 119th Congress to respond to the Uyghur genocide with action.
The Uyghur Policy Act of 2025 mandates the development of a formal strategy by the Secretary of State to facilitate the closure of detention centers in the Uyghur region and grant the UN, journalists and other international organizations access to investigate human rights conditions. It calls for the protection and promotion of Uyghur culture, religion, language, and identity, strengthening the State Department’s engagement with Uyghur leaders in the diaspora while investing in Uyghur-speaking diplomatic personnel. The legislation also bolsters the U.S. government’s ability to track and respond to transnational repression, including the surveillance, threats, and harassment of Uyghur Americans and their families. Notably, it names several unlawfully imprisoned Uyghur individuals, including Dr. Gulshan Abbas, sister of CFU Executive Director Rushan Abbas, Ekpar Asat, and Kamile Wayit.
“This bill matters because it reflects the true scope of what Uyghurs are facing — an assault on identity, family, faith, and truth,” said Rushan Abbas, Founder and Executive Director of CFU. “It is a strategic necessity that supports Uyghurs globally while challenging the international community to uphold the values it claims to defend. We urge the full House to pass it without delay.”
The legislation also calls on the United Nations to appoint a special rapporteur to monitor the crisis in the Uyghur Region and to ensure that Uyghur advocates are not excluded from international platforms. It encourages coordination with democratic allies and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to advance joint initiatives that promote human rights while pushing back against the CCP’s global campaign to whitewash its crimes.
CFU urges the full U.S. House of Representatives to move swiftly toward passing this legislation.
