SU 9/20/24 Press Release: Leaked Audit Report VW

Washington, D.C. — September 20, 2024

For Immediate Release

Contact: Hena Zuberi

hena@justiceforall.org

(202) 922-5878

Justice For All’s Save Uyghur Campaign Condemns Volkswagen for Complicity in Uyghur Slavery Following Leaked Audit Report

(Washington D.C. ) September 20, 2024 Justice For All’s Save Uyghur Campaign strongly condemns Volkswagen’s continued operations in Chinese-occupied East Turkistan, where evidence suggests complicity in state-imposed forced labor practices targeting Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples. A recently leaked audit report reveals that Volkswagen’s claims regarding compliance with human rights standards are misleading and false.

Dr. Adrian Zenz, a prominent researcher and leading expert on the situation in Chinese occupied East Turksitan, assessed the leaked audit report and stated that “the audit shows that the factory conducts staff activities promoting ‘ethnic unity’ to ensure ‘harmony,’ an activity associated with forced assimilation.” He further emphasized that the audit conducted by Liangma Law, a firm with no substantial expertise in social audits, failed to adequately assess forced labor risks, noting that “Liangma’s claim that the audit ‘assessed compliance with the Social Accountability 8000 (SA8000) standard’ is contradicted by the report itself.” This practice raises severe ethical concerns about Volkswagen’s continued presence in a region marked by mass arbitrary detention and forced labor.

Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid, President of Justice For All, stated, “Volkswagen’s refusal to acknowledge the reality of forced labor in East Turkistan is not just a corporate failure; it is a moral failure. By turning a blind eye to the suffering of the Uyghur people, Volkswagen is complicit in the genocide that is unfolding before our eyes.”

Arslan Hidayat, Team Lead of the Save Uyghur Campaign, emphasized, “Volkswagen’s actions are a direct affront to human rights. The company’s insistence that there are ‘no indications of any human rights violations’ is not only false but also deeply troubling given the evidence presented in Dr. Zenz’s report.”

Dr. Adrian Zenz, has been instrumental in bringing these issues to light. His findings in his assessment of the leaked audit report highlights that “the audit’s methodology and scope are unsuited to meaningfully assess the presence or absence of forced labor at the factory.” Justice For All commends Dr. Zenz for his dedication to uncovering the truth about the Uyghur genocide. His work serves as a crucial reminder of the responsibility that corporations have to ensure their supply chains are free from human rights abuses.

The report also notes that “publicly available information suggests that the persons in Liangma’s auditing team had no substantial prior expertise in conducting a social audit or an SA8000.” This lack of expertise raises questions about the validity of the audit and Volkswagen’s commitment to ethical business practices.

Imam Mujahid added, “It is imperative that companies like Volkswagen take responsibility for their actions and the impact they have on vulnerable communities. We call on Volkswagen to conduct a genuine, independent audit and to take immediate steps to rectify its complicity in these human rights violations.”

The Save Uyghur Campaign urges consumers and investors to hold Volkswagen accountable for its actions. The company’s misleading statements and failure to address the realities of forced labor in East Turkistan cannot go unchallenged. In conclusion, Justice For All’s Save Uyghur Campaign stands firm in its condemnation of Volkswagen’s complicity in the genocide of Uyghurs. We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that the voices of the oppressed are heard and that justice is served.