CFU PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 6, 2023, 3:30 PM ET
Sabrina Sohail: sabrina@campaignforuyghurs.org
(650) 703-4523
Campaign for Uyghurs (CFU) commends the Government Accountability Office (GAO) for its report, “Human Rights: Agency Actions Needed to Address Transnational Repression in the U.S.” This report underscores the grave threat that Transnational Repression (TNR) poses to national security and the need for holding foreign governments accountable for their actions.
The GAO report highlights the deficiencies in U.S. law and the lack of clear definitions and guidelines, hindering efforts to combat TNR effectively. Section 6 of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) is identified as a potential tool to address TNR, but concerns are raised about its underutilization.
The Chinese Communist Party employs multiple tactics to intimidate, surveil, and coerce Uyghurs in the diaspora. Online surveillance, hacking attempts, and the dissemination of hate speech through bot accounts are rampant. Furthermore, Uyghur families in East Turkistan endure harassment, arbitrary detention, and forced disappearance as a means to intimidate Uyghurs in the diaspora to stay silent about the ongoing rights abuses.
Rushan Abbas, CFU’s Executive Director and a lived experience expert emphasized the atmosphere of fear that prevents diaspora members from speaking out or participating in public forums. “Immediate U.S. action against transnational repression is crucial. The harassment and persecution of U.S.-based dissidents by foreign governments cannot be tolerated, and the GAO report provides a vital roadmap for federal agencies and Congress to address this grave threat.”
CFU calls on Congress to swiftly act on these recommendations and urge the Department of Justice to develop a department-wide stance on addressing TNR and identify legislative gaps. CFU is ready to collaborate with federal agencies, Congress, and all stakeholders to combat transnational repression against Uyghurs and uphold the values of democracy, freedom, and justice.
