For Immediate Release: Justice For All Save Uyghur Campaign Applauds The Historic Uyghur Human Rights Law

For immediate release

Contact: Hena Zuberi

2020-922-JUST (5878)

dmv@justiceforall.org

www.justiceforall.org

(Washington, DC, Wednesday, June 17, 2020) Today, June 17, 2020, the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act became law of the land as President Trump signed the historic bill on China’s human rights abuses against the Uyghur Muslim population.

Justice For All and our Save Uyghur Campaign welcomes this news with applause and prayers. We congratulate the Uyghur community around the world on this historic bill as well as all ethnic minorities who have been crushed by the Chinese Communist Party. We applaud our partners at the Uyghur Human Rights Project, allies and advocates.

“Advocacy on this bill took years, months, and countless hours. This is a historic move, and it’s about time Chinese officials are held accountable for the atrocious crimes they’ve been committing against millions of innocent Uyghur and other Turkic people. Thousands still linger in prisons and camps, including many of my relatives. This is just the beginning.” Aydin Anwar, Outreach Manager of Save Uyghur Campaign.

The bill gives the President 180 days to submit a report to Congress identifying Chinese officials and any other individuals who are responsible for carrying out torture; prolonged detention without charges and a trial; abduction; cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment of Muslim minority groups; and other denials of the “right to life, liberty, or the security” of people in East Turkestan.

The Uyghurs are a predominantly Muslim, Turkic ethnicity who live in China’s North-Western Xinjiang Province traditionally known as East Turkistan. In recent years, however, the current government of China has stepped up its repression of this community, destroying traditional neighborhoods and rounding up well over 3 million people and sending them into concentration camps for “re-education” and forced labor. The disappearance of so many has created a palpable atmosphere of fear in the region and extending to the Uyghur community in the United States.

“It is important that Muslim countries give importance to human lives instead of political leverage to Chinese oppressors,” said Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid, President of Justice For All and Chair of Save Uyghur Campaign. “This is a significant but small step to release 3 million people from the largest concentration camps since Nazi Germany.”

The Uyghur Human Right Policy Act imposes sanctions on Chen Quanguo, the top Communist Party official responsible for Chinese policy for the region and mandates that the director of national intelligence produce a list of Chinese companies involved in the construction and operation of the camps.

The individuals identified in the report would then be subject to sanctions, including asset blocking, visa revocation, and ineligibility for entry into the United States.

It will protect Uyghurs in the United States.

The bill directs the U.S. government to impose financial sanctions and visa bans against Chinese government officials responsible for the persecution of Muslims and protects Uyghurs from Chinese government intimidation and harassment in The United States.

“It is imperative that Uyghurs in the United States are protected from harassment and intimidation on U.S soil. The world community should take similar actions to protect Uyghurs,” said Hena Zuberi, Director at Justice For All and the lead on Capitol Hill for the Save Uyghur Campaign. “This bipartisan bill took immense work and incredible, many times dangerous, advocacy by Uyghurs and it is a disservice to their cause to frame this around a trade war or political football.”

Justice for All Save Uyghur Campaign calls on Senate and House to urgently pass the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act.

Justice For All is an NGO with Consultative Status at the UN. Justice for All advocates for the most vulnerable and forgotten minorities through grassroots education, advocacy, and the mobilization of diverse allies and communities, to take action in the United States and Canada.

Justice for All www.justiceforall.org dmv@justiceforall.org

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