Munich [Germany], July 21 : The World Uyghur Congress has published its latest weekly brief, outlining important global efforts to confront human rights violations related to China's treatment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang. According to the report, a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers--Representatives Young Kim, Ami Bera, and James Moylan--have introduced the Minerals Security Partnership Authorisation Act. This legislation aims to formalise U.S. leadership in managing the Minerals Security Partnership, which includes 14 countries and the European Union. The Act prioritises responsible and transparent investment in mineral projects worldwide to lessen dependence on China, while enforcing labour rights and human rights standards within critical mineral supply chains.
The WUC emphasised that this legislation responds directly to growing evidence, including a recent report from Global Rights Compliance, that exposes the Chinese Communist Party's use of Uyghur forced labour in East Turkistan's mining sector. U.S. officials have underlined that securing ethical mineral supply chains is both an economic necessity and a matter of national security.
The brief also highlighted developments in Europe, where, ahead of the EU-China Summit scheduled for July 24-25, the World Uyghur Congress joined 17 other human rights organisations in sending a joint letter urging EU leaders to condemn China's crimes against humanity, including the Uyghur genocide. The letter called for the release of wrongfully detained Uyghurs such as Ilham Tohti and Gulshan Abbas, demanded action against transnational repression targeting Uyghur diaspora communities across Europe, and insisted on accountability for acts of torture, forced assimilation, and religious persecution. According to the brief, the coalition further stressed the importance of protecting human rights defenders and making human rights a central element of EU-China relations.
Additionally, the weekly brief reported that on July 18, a coalition of Uyghur, Tibetan, and allied youth organisations, alongside Members of the European Parliament and various political parties, released a Joint Statement addressing transnational repression in Europe. The statement urged EU bodies and member states to acknowledge transnational repression as a threat to democratic values and internal security, implement legal safeguards and rapid response measures for victims, provide safe residency for vulnerable activists and defenders, enhance digital security, and openly condemn authoritarian repression, particularly by China. Freedom House data cited in the statement notes over 6,800 cases of transnational repression against Uyghurs documented across 44 countries between 2014 and 2021. The statement features input from diverse youth groups, political parties, and civil society organisations from Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and across Europe.