Uyghur groups plan demonstrations outside Chinese diplomatic missions in Istanbul and Berlin on October 1 over rights and freedoms in Xinjiang…reports Asian Lite News Desk
The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) has announced demonstrations in Istanbul and Berlin on October 1, with Uyghur community members and partner organisations expected to gather outside Chinese diplomatic missions.
The WUC said the Istanbul demonstration will begin at 11am outside the Chinese Consulate General in the Sarıyer district. It will be held under the message, “East Turkistan Has Resisted for 77 Years – No to Occupation!”
According to the organisation, the gathering will include a press statement raising concerns about what it describes as China’s occupation of East Turkistan and the alleged persecution of Uyghurs.
The WUC uses the term East Turkistan for the region officially known by Beijing as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The area is home to a large Uyghur population, a predominantly Muslim, Turkic-speaking ethnic group.
A separate demonstration is scheduled in Berlin from 4pm to 6pm outside the Chinese Embassy. The WUC said it will join partner organisations at the event, where participants are expected to express solidarity with communities affected by Chinese government policies and raise concerns over their rights and freedoms.
The planned protests come amid longstanding international scrutiny of China’s policies in Xinjiang. The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has previously raised concerns over reports of large-scale detention of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities, while UN bodies have also examined allegations relating to forced labour and restrictions on fundamental freedoms.
In a 2022 assessment, the UN human rights office said there were credible indications of serious human rights violations in Xinjiang, including arbitrary detention and restrictions affecting religious and cultural practices.
Uyghur advocacy groups have continued to campaign internationally over issues including cultural identity, religious freedom, family separation and political rights. The WUC describes itself as a peaceful and nonviolent organisation advocating for democracy, human rights and freedom for Uyghurs.
China has rejected allegations of genocide and systematic abuse in Xinjiang and has maintained that its policies in the region are aimed at combating terrorism, extremism and separatism. Chinese authorities have also described vocational education and training centres as measures intended to provide deradicalisation, legal education and job skills, rather than detention or forced labour.
The October 1 demonstrations are part of the WUC’s broader international campaign to draw attention to the situation of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslim communities in Xinjiang. The organisation regularly works with Uyghur diaspora groups and partner organisations to organise demonstrations and advocacy activities in Europe and elsewhere.
