CFU PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 8, 2:00 PM ET
Sabrina Sohail: sabrina@campaignforuyghurs.org
(650) 703-4523
https://www.campaignforuyghurs.org
Campaign for Uyghurs (CFU) welcomes the decisive steps taken by the United States Government on Human Rights Day, marking the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In a landmark move, the Department of State, in collaboration with the Departments of the Treasury and Homeland Security, launched significant measures to promote accountability for those implicated in human rights abuses globally, with an emphasis on People’s Republic of China (PRC) government officials and those complicit in the Uyghur genocide.
This initiative involves the Department of Homeland Security announcing the addition of three more PRC-based companies to the Uyghur Forced Labor Protection Act (UFLPA) entity list. Furthermore, the State Department’s “Report to Congress on the Imposition of Sanctions Pursuant to Section 6(a) of the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020, P.L. 116-145,” identified two PRC government officials responsible for serious human rights abuses in Xinjiang, who are now being sanctioned by the Treasury.
Gao Qi, the former leader of the Yili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture Public Security Bureau and vice governor, has been sanctioned, as required by the UHRPA, for his role in the arbitrary detention of Uyghurs and other Turkic communities in East Turkistan. Hu Lianhe, the Deputy Office Director for the Xinjiang Work Coordination Small Group (XWCSG), is sanctioned for his involvement in policies that led to the detention of Uyghurs, in support of the UHRPA. Reports indicate that the XWCSG was directly involved in the PRC’s March 2017 “XUAR De-Extremification Regulation” and its October 2018 revision, providing the framework for the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) “de-extremification” through a re-education campaign. These acts played a crucial role in shaping and implementing repressive policies in East Turkistan.
Rushan Abbas, the Executive Director of CFU, asserted, “Today marks a pivotal moment in the fight for human rights and justice. The criminal architects behind the policies and model for the Uyghur genocide are being held accountable. The sanctions and restrictions announced by the U.S. Government send a strong message to the Chinese Communist Party: their actions are not tolerated. This is a historical moment, and we as Uyghurs are witnessing the power of collective action and tireless commitment to upholding the rights of our people.”
These measures mark a substantial stride in global human rights advocacy for the Uyghur people, and CFU applauds the U.S. Government for its dedication to safeguarding human rights and standing in support of the Uyghur community.
