CFU PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 22, 2024, 8:30 AM
Contact: contact@campaignforuyghurs.org
+1 650-703-4523
Washington, D.C – On this fifth annual International Day of Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief, Campaign for Uyghurs (CFU) stands in solidarity with all those who face violence for exercising their right of freedom of religion, as guaranteed in Articles 18, 19, and 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. As we commemorate this important day, CFU highlights the plight of the Uyghur people, who are suffering an ongoing genocide perpetrated by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) due to their faith and ethnic identity.
In East Turkistan, the communist regime has continued to be meticulous in its war on Islam. Mosques are either destroyed or turned into bars and clubs. Uyghur people are prohibited from practicing their religion, including fasting during Ramadan, praying, wearing a Hijab, and growing a beard. They even face imprisonment for studying the Qur’an as children. The various physical forms of violence that this genocide has inflicted upon the Uyghur people include forced organ harvesting, forced sterilization and abortions, forced labor, and more.
CFU’s Founder and Executive Director, Rushan Abbas, reflected upon this somber occasion, stating “The International Day of Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief reminds us that freedom of religion and belief is more than just an abstract personal right—it is a cornerstone of our shared humanity. The CCP’s systematic attack on these freedoms in East Turkistan is a deliberate strategy to dehumanize and ultimately eradicate the Uyghur people. Such atrocities underscore why protecting religious freedom is essential; when a people’s right to believe is taken away, their very existence is under threat. The global community must recognize this grave injustice and act decisively to end it.”
CFU calls on the international community, governments, and organizations to unite in their efforts to protect religious freedom and combat the ongoing genocide in East Turkistan. The memory of victims serves as a call to action to prevent further atrocities and uphold the principles of justice and human dignity.
