London, Nov 20 (IANS) The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) has intensified its global campaign for Uyghurs by mobilising cultural, political, and human-rights platforms in Europe and Asia to expose China’s repression and expanding influence. During a weekly brief, the WUC held several events that demonstrated the ongoing abuses in Xinjiang and the increasing determination of Uyghur groups and their allies to resist China’s authoritarian reach, a report stated on Thursday.

“Across Germany, Turkey, Thailand, and the UK, activists spotlighted mass detentions, cultural erasure, digital surveillance, and forced labour — while new reports revealed rising pressure Beijing is exerting on foreign governments, institutions, and universities to mute criticism. The week’s developments painted a stark picture: as China deepens repression at home, its efforts to shape the global narrative are becoming increasingly aggressive,” a report in UK-based newspaper for British Asians, Asian Lite, stated.

Kazakh-Uyghur painter Ahmet Akhat opened a three-day exhibition at Blutenburg Castle in Munich, celebrating Silk Road traditions and Uyghur cultural identity. The event supported by Nurnisa Ismail saw participation of local Germans, Uyghur diaspora members, and cultural scholars, blending art, performance, and political expression. Organisers called the exhibition a tribute to Uyghur heritage and a reminder of the fragility of cultures under state-approved assimilation, according to the report.

The Turkey Unity Foundation hosted “The Unheard Cries of East Turkistan” in Istanbul. The event criticised China’s policies of genocide, mass surveillance, and cultural suppression. WUC Vice President Abdureshit Abduhamit spoke about Turkey’s longstanding ties to the Uyghur cause and warned that thousands of Uyghur refugees remain in legal limbo as China increases demands for deportation.

“In Bangkok, WUC President Turgunjan Alawdun and former President Dolkun Isa joined nearly a thousand democracy advocates at the International Civil Society Week (ICSW) 2025. Under the theme “Reimagining Democracy, Rights, and Inclusion,” WUC representatives urged global civil society to confront China’s rights violations and oppose Beijing’s efforts to export its authoritarian governance model,” the Asian Lite report stated.

It added: “German newspaper Handelsblatt published a detailed investigation quoting WUC Vice President Zumretay Arkin, who warned that China’s “Ethnic Unity Law” undermines Uyghur language rights and institutionalises cultural assimilation. Arkin also used a Radio Canada interview to urge Ottawa to adopt forced-labour legislation mirroring the US Uyghur Forced Labour Prevention Act, arguing that global supply chains remain compromised by coerced labour in Xinjiang.”

On November 5, National Endowment for Democracy (NED) presented 2025 Democracy Award to WUC Executive Committee Chair Rushan Abbas, recognising her advocacy work and personal sacrifice, including the disappearance of her sister, Dr Gulshan Abbas, in Xinjiang’s detention system. Later that day, WUC officials attended a remembrance ceremony at the Dachau Concentration Camp memorial, honouring Turkic victims of Nazi persecution and spoke about its similarities with present day state repression in China.

–IANS

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