World Uyghur Congress slams China's growing transnational repression, urges global action over systematic abuses

Munich [Germany], May 17 : The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) has released its weekly brief highlighting China's expanding transnational repression, political coercion, and systematic abuses against Uyghurs.
A major controversy emerged after the abrupt cancellation of the RightsCon conference in Zambia, which had been scheduled for May 5-8 and was expected to host nearly 3,000 participants. In an op-ed published on May 10, Uyghur activist Dolkun Isa claimed the event was cancelled under pressure from China. He argued this incident reflected China's growing ability to wield economic influence over developing nations through investments linked to the Belt and Road Initiative. Isa warned that such influence risks undermining democratic institutions and weakening protections for civil society and human rights.
Attention also turned to the situation in East Turkistan during a conference held in Munich on May 11. The gathering, organised by Turkish associations, featured speeches from WUC President Turgunjan Alawdun and Dolkun Isa. Speakers accused China of pursuing policies aimed at erasing Uyghur cultural and religious identity through arbitrary detention, forced labour, and restrictions on freedom of expression and movement. Organisers urged stronger solidarity from the wider Turkic world and more decisive international action.
On May 12, WUC Executive Director Omer Kanat called on US President Donald Trump to raise the cases of jailed Uyghur intellectuals, including Ilham Tohti and Rahile Dawut, during meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Days later, Uyghur activist Rushan Abbas urged Washington to confront China over forced labour, overseas intimidation, and the detention of her sister, Gulshan Abbas.
Meanwhile, a US congressional hearing on May 14 heard testimony from Uyghur camp survivor Kalbinur Sidik, who alleged detainees in camps were subjected to repeated medical testing before some disappeared. American lawmakers described the evidence surrounding forced organ harvesting in China as increasingly alarming and called for stronger international accountability measures.
The WUC also welcomed bipartisan resolutions passed in the US Congress demanding the release of political prisoners in China, describing the move as a sign of continued international concern over the treatment of Uyghurs and other persecuted groups.