Justice For All’s Save Uyghur Campaign Denounces Radio Free Asia Funding Cuts, Calls for Urgent Action

Washington, D.C. — March 17, 2025

For Immediate Release

Contact: Hena Zuberi

hena@justiceforall.org

(202) 922-5878

Justice For All’s Save Uyghur Campaign expresses deep concern following the termination of federal grants that fund Radio Free Asia (RFA) and other vital global news networks under the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM). The executive order, issued by the U.S. President Donald Trump, effectively silences one of the only voices exposing China’s oppression in Chinese-occupied East Turkistan and other authoritarian-controlled regions.

RFA has long been a lifeline for oppressed communities like the Uyghurs, by providing uncensored news and exposing crimes like China’s genocide of Uyghurs. Justice For All, often relies on outlets like RFA to inform its advocacy efforts, ensuring that policymakers, activists, and the global public receive accurate and timely information. Its coverage reaches those who otherwise face relentless state-controlled narratives.

RFA was the first news outlet to uncover and report on the mass internment camps in East Turkistan, where millions of Uyghurs have been detained. It provided firsthand testimonies and satellite imagery evidence that helped international organizations classify China’s actions as genocide and crimes against humanity.

RFA revealed forced labor programs forcing Uyghurs to work in factories under surveillance. Exposed the demolition of Uyghur cultural and religious sites, including mosques and cemeteries. RFA brought to light the forced sterilization of Uyghur women, a policy aimed at suppressing the Uyghur population. RFA provided a platform for Uyghur activists and refugees, helping them share their stories with the world. RFA documented the disappearance of Uyghur intellectuals, artists, and religious scholars, many of whom were arrested or sent to camps.

RFA’s reports have led to sanctions on Chinese officials responsible for the repression. Its journalism has been cited by governments, human rights organizations, and major news outlets in shaping global policy responses. RFA has helped fuel advocacy efforts that pressured brands to cut ties with Uyghur forced labor supply chains. Despite severe Chinese government retaliation, including harassment of RFA Uyghur journalists and their families, RFA has continued fearless reporting. Many RFA Uyghur staff members have had their family members detained or disappeared in retaliation for their work.

Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid, President of Justice For All, articulates grave concerns over the implications of these funding cuts: “Eliminating support for Radio Free Asia and similar entities serves as an unfortunate victory for authoritarian regimes. This decision cripples essential channels of truth and dismisses the necessity of countering oppressive narratives with facts.”

Arslan Hidayat, Team Lead of the Save Uyghur Campaign, underscores RFA’s critical role in human rights advocacy: “For millions living under repressive governments, RFA is often the only source of truth. Without it, advocacy groups like ours will struggle to expose human rights atrocities and mobilize the local and international community effectively. This decision not only undermines press freedom but emboldens dictators who thrive on secrecy and misinformation.”

Justice For All urges the U.S. government to reinstate funding for RFA and its partner networks to ensure that crucial, fact-based journalism continues to reach those who need it most. The fight for human rights depends on access to the truth—and shutting down RFA is a step in the wrong direction. RFA’s Uyghur service remains one of the only reliable news sources about East Turkistan, countering China’s propaganda and disinformation. Without it, the world would have far less awareness of the Uyghur genocide and the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region.