CFU PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 22, 2025, 10:30 AM EST
Contact: contact@campaignforuyghurs.org
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https://campaignforuyghurs.org/
CFU Honors International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief
Washington, D.C. – Today, August 22, Campaign for Uyghurs (CFU) joins the world in observing the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief. This day draws attention to those targeted for their faith, including the Uyghur people, whose right to practice Islam has been criminalized under China’s full-fledged genocide. CFU stresses that protecting freedom of belief is essential to protecting the natural rights of the Uyghur people.
In East Turkistan, the Chinese government has dismantled nearly every avenue for Uyghurs to practice their faith. Religious leaders are detained, Qur’ans are confiscated and burned, and Islamic education is criminalized. Alongside the destruction of mosques, Uyghurs face mass internment, forced labor, involuntary sterilizations and abortions, child-abduction, overwhelming surveillance, and family separation designed to eradicate their identity under the guise of state control. Families are pressured to renounce religious traditions, while entire generations of children are raised in state-run facilities, cut off from their heritage. These policies are not isolated measures but part of a coordinated campaign to erase Uyghur culture and belief.
“As we observe this day, we remember the countless people whose faith has made them targets of violence and repression,” said Rushan Abbas, Executive Director of CFU. “For Uyghurs, even the simplest acts of devotion, like fasting, praying, or teaching children their religion, have been turned into crimes under China’s genocidal campaign. The international community cannot remain indifferent. Safeguarding freedom of belief is inseparable from defending the very survival of the Uyghur people. Holding China accountable is not only essential to protect Uyghurs’ rights, but also vital to uphold the principles of freedom and democracy worldwide.”
CFU urges governments, institutions, and civil society to take more decisive action in defending freedom of religion and belief, and to bring the Chinese government to justice for its crimes in East Turkistan. Honoring the victims means moving beyond remembrance to take concrete steps that end atrocities and protect justice and human dignity for generations to come. Each of us carries a part of the responsibility for what lies ahead.
