All Reading
This section contains a curated list of useful articles, investigations, books and other reading materials. The list is updated on a weekly basis and suggestions for additions are welcome.
Starting Points:
China pumps up narrative of happy Uyghurs in Xinjiang among Pakistanis
The sudden rise in popularity of a media star with ties to the Chinese Embassy has raised questions among Uyghurs living in Pakistan about Beijing’s efforts to use local Uyghurs as propaganda tools.
Tory MPs voice concerns over tabled ban on public bodies boycotting Israel
A Former Conservative party leader said he was worried the bill could stop government bodies refusing to buy Chinese-made goods.
Arab nations praise China’s Uyghur policies: Society is ‘harmonious,’ religion free
Following a recent visit to Xinjiang, a delegation from the Arab League praised “Xinjiang’s remarkable achievements in respecting and safeguarding human rights.”
Palestinian Leader’s Endorsement of China's Xinjiang Policy Sparks Backlash
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas recently visited Beijing, where he met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and expressed support for China's treatment of Muslim Uyghurs in Xinjiang.
US lawmakers introduce bipartisan bill to give priority refugee status to Uyghurs
It designates Uyghurs and other ethnic groups persecuted by the Chinese government as priority 2, and expedites their ability to apply for asylum in the United States.
European Commission chief’s comments on Uyghurs fall short of expectations
European Commission President discussed human rights issues with China’s Xi Jinping during a high-level meeting in Beijing, a topic usually avoided by European leaders when they visit the Chinese capital for talks.
UK’s Labour Party to recognize Uyghur genocide if it wins elections
The United Kingdom’s opposition Labour Party will aim to declare the Chinese government’s treatment of the Uyghurs a genocide if it wins the next general election.
‘Like a war zone’: Congress hears of China’s abuses in Xinjiang ‘re-education camps
Two women who say they experienced and eventually escaped Chinese “re-education” camps provided first-hand testimony to members of the US Congress.
Nearly $500 million in US imports blocked due to Uyghur forced labor
The acting head of the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol said it has already blocked nearly $500 million worth of imports this year because it was made “wholly or in part” by Uyghur forced labor.
UN human rights chief: China has arbitrarily detained Uyghurs, separated families
The U.N.’s new human right chief said his agency has documented China’s arbitrary detention of Uyghurs and the separation of children from their families, as part of a global update on human rights.
Pakistan threatens to send Uyghur refugee families back to China
Police and intelligence officers showed up the home of a Uyghur refugee in Pakistan to warn him that he and his family would be repatriated to China if their U.N.-issued refugee cards weren’t renewed.
NGOs demand better conditions for detainees in Thailand after Uyghur man’s death
Human rights advocates are calling on Thai immigration authorities to improve conditions for dozens of Uyghurs in custody after a Uyghur detainee fell ill and died at a police hospital in Bangkok.
Kent councils to replace CCTV cameras made by Chinese firm
Some of Kent's councils have said they will stop using CCTV cameras made by Hikvision, a company which has links to the Chinese government and has faced accusations linking its technology to the oppression of Uyghurs in China.
Uyghur groups call for U.N. action against China over rights abuses
Uyghur advocacy groups called on United Nations bodies to take action against China over its abuses against the mainly Muslim ethnic minority, after U.N. experts this week reviewed Beijing's rights record.
Governor of China’s Xinjiang region cancels UK visit after backlash
The governor of China’s western region of Xinjiang will not be visiting Britain this week, according to the UK Foreign Office, after a backlash from MPs over alleged human rights abuses in the region.
Xinjiang governor cancels EU visit amid Uyghur abuse blowback
The governor of the Xinjiang region in China has canceled his controversial trip to Paris and Brussels, three people with knowledge of his plan told Politico.
Iain Duncan Smith accuses Xinjiang governor of ‘murder’ at Uyghur protest
Iain Duncan Smith has accused the Chinese governor of Xinjiang of murder as he joined Uyghur activists protesting against his reported visit to Britain.
Canada votes to take in 10,000 Uyghur refugees amid Chinese pressure to force their return
Canada’s parliament has unanimously passed a motion to take in 10,000 Uyghur refugees who fled China, but are now facing pressure to return.
Repression of Uyghurs remains unchanged: Interview with Xinjiang Victims Database founder
Global Voices conducted an interview with Gene Bunin to learn about his work on the Xinjiang Victims Database, the context of oppression in China, and more.
Rights groups consider legal steps in case of Uyghurs facing deportation in Malta
The European Court of Human Rights ordered the country to halt the forcible deportation of two Muslim Chinese asylum-seekers of Uyghur ethnicity whose legal applications were denied.