Germany: Uyghur activists mark ‘Genocide Recognition Day’, remember victims

Several Uyghur organisations and activists commemorated the ‘Uyghur Genocide Recognition Day’ on December 9 in Munich, Germany. The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) emphasised the importance of remembering the victims of the Uyghur genocide.

In a press release, the WUC highlighted the role of the Uyghur Tribunal, which was established in June 2020 at the request of its then President, Dolkun Isa.

This independent tribunal was formed to document atrocities committed by China against Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and other Turkic Muslim populations in East Turkistan. It was tasked with investigating genocide and crimes against humanity.

In a social media post, Dolkun Isa marked the anniversary of the tribunal’s landmark finding, which concluded that the Chinese government committed genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples in East Turkistan.

Isa said, “Three years ago today, the Uyghur Tribunal concluded that the Chinese government committed genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples in East Turkistan. On behalf of the WUC, I declared December 9 as International Uyghur Genocide Recognition Day. The genocide continues. Humanity must act to end this atrocity.”

The Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP), a Washington, DC-based advocacy group, also marked the occasion with an announcement of Chinese-language online event titled “The Uyghur Tribunal: Uyghur Genocide Recognition Day” scheduled on December 10. The organisation reiterated that every year, Uyghurs worldwide observe this day as the moment the Uyghur Genocide was officially recognized by an independent tribunal.

UHRP further noted that the findings of the Uyghur Tribunal have led to increased international recognition. Countries such as the United States, Canada, the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Lithuania, Czechia, Ireland, and Taiwan have officially acknowledged the genocide and related crimes.

Additionally, the European Parliament has declared that the persecution of Uyghurs constitutes crimes against humanity and could lead to genocide. The French National Assembly has recognized the atrocities as genocide. While expressing deep concern, the United Nations has referred to the situation as a “possible crime against humanity.”

Speakers at the upcoming UHRP event will address the significance of the independent tribunal’s findings and its impact on international efforts to hold perpetrators accountable for the genocide of Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples in East Turkistan.