CFU PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 2, 4:30 PM ET
Sabrina Sohail: sabrina@campaignforuyghurs.org
(650) 703-4523
https://www.campaignforuyghurs.org
Campaign for Uyghurs (CFU) commends the French Senate’s unanimous resolution banning the importation of products made with Uyghur forced labor under the Chinese regime and embraces this pivotal stride towards justice. The resolution, supported by an array of international human rights conventions and declarations, underscores the urgent need to address the genocidal policies perpetrated by the Chinese government.
The unanimous resolution refers to a comprehensive range of international frameworks and legislative actions, reiterating the profound importance of upholding human rights, including the prohibition of slavery and forced labor. With this resolution, the French Senate has also recognized the testimonies of countless survivors and the overwhelming evidence pointing to arbitrary arrests, torture, systematic rape, mass internment, forced sterilization, and the erasure of Uyghur identity and culture. Moreover, the resolution acknowledges the extensive exploitation of Uyghurs through forced labor, which has become a cornerstone of China’s economic development and foreign trade. Although this resolution is non-binding, the unanimity of the support in the French Senate should incentivize the French government to consider proposing to the European Commission to enact a piece of legislation similar to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA).
Dr. Adrian Zenz, a Senior Fellow at the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation (VOC) whose reports have been instrumental in encouraging states to take the right step to end Uyghur slavery, expressed his approval for the resolution. “After the U.S. enacted the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, this important step by the French Senate represents a crucial move in the right direction. Xinjiang’s exports to Europe have been increasing, making European consumers complicit in the largest internment of an ethno-religious minority since the Holocaust. It is important to see European countries taking first steps towards ending this,” he said.
Executive Director Rushan Abbas expressed her commendation for the resolution, stating, “The adoption of this resolution by the French Senate is a good move in our pursuit for justice. It declares that the Senate stands as one in denouncing the abhorrent human rights violations by the Chinese Communist Party. I commend them for their dedication to holding accountable those responsible for the unspeakable atrocities faced by the Uyghurs.”
CFU joins the French Senate in urging the European Union to enhance sanctions against those involved in the Uyghur genocide and to reevaluate the draft regulation proposed by the European Commission. It is crucial to establish a new commercial instrument that aligns with the World Trade Organization rules, which would effectively ban the importation of products from East Turkistan unless companies can demonstrate that their production is free from forced labor.
The fight for justice and the preservation of human dignity requires unified action. CFU calls upon EU member states to unify and urge the European Commission to cease trading with Uyghur forced labor goods, recognize the genocidal nature of the crimes committed against the Uyghurs, and take resolute steps to end the complicity in Uyghur forced labor. Together, we can ensure that our global trade networks are free from the taint of human suffering and uphold the principles of human rights.
