ETNM holds vigil ahead of National Day of Mourning, urges global action against Chinese occupation
Dec 16, 2025
Washington, DC [US], December 16 : As the world approaches December 22, East Turkistan's National Day of Mourning, the East Turkistan National Movement (ETNM) is calling on the international community to confront what it describes as China's ongoing occupation and genocide of Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and other Turkic peoples. Marking 76 years since the fall of the independent East Turkistan Republic in 1949, the organisation frames the anniversary as a critical moment to demand accountability and push for independence.
In a post on X, ETNM has urged governments, particularly the United States, to formally recognise East Turkistan as an occupied country and support its restoration under international law, citing U.S. Captive Nations Law and multiple UN General Assembly resolutions.
According to the post, to amplify its message, ETNM will host a demonstration on Sunday, December 21, 2025, from 1-3 PM at Lafayette Park near the White House, highlighting the ongoing struggle for Uyghur and Turkic rights and seeking global attention ahead of the historic commemoration.
ETNM is a political advocacy and human rights organisation that works internationally to support the independence and self-determination of East Turkistan, the homeland of the Uyghur and other Turkic peoples, currently administered by China as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
In a separate post, ETNM noted that China claims Uyghurs are the "happiest Muslims in the world." Yet Chinese judicial data indicate that 578,500 Uyghurs have been sentenced to terms of up to life imprisonment--over 33% of the officially incarcerated population, despite Uyghurs making up less than 2% of the population across all territories under PRC control.
Reports from human rights organisations, journalists, and former detainees indicate that Uyghur Muslims in China's Xinjiang region face systemic persecution. A large number of Uyghurs are reportedly held in what China calls "re-education" or vocational centres. According to several media reports, inside these camps, detainees experience physical torture such as beatings, electric shocks, and shackling. Many suffer psychological abuse, including sleep deprivation, threats to family members, and forced ideological indoctrination.
