Uyghur activist Rahima Mahmut urges UK to investigate forced labour in supply chains

Stop Uyghur Genocide Executive Director Rahima Mahmut has called for urgent action to address the presence of forced labour in UK supply chains. Speaking before the UK Parliament’s Human Rights Committee, Mahmut highlighted mounting evidence linking forced labour in China to various industries, particularly cotton production.

“Due to the mounting evidence that the Chinese government is using forced labour in the production of cotton and many different industries, that led the World Uyghur Congress to take legal action,” Mahmut said. She underscored that almost all products originating from the Uyghur region–referred to by many as East Turkestan–are tainted by slave labour. “Therefore, we believe this inquiry is extremely important,” she added as posted by UK Parliament Human Rights Committee on X.

Her testimony has sparked widespread calls for action, with Campaign for Uyghurs amplifying her plea. In a post on X, the organisation stated: “Important call from Rahima Mahmut, Executive Director of Stop Uyghur Genocide, before the UK Parliament Human Rights Committee on investigating Uyghur forced labour in the UK supply chain. Strong action must be taken to prevent complicity in forced labour.”

In response to the post shared by UK Parliament Human Rights Committee on X, Campaign for Uyghurs Executive Director, Rushan Abbas, stated, “Echoing @MahmutRahima. There is undeniable evidence linking cotton, tomatoes, solar panels, and many other industries to Uyghur forced labor. It’s time for the UK to take a stand, hold perpetrators accountable, and protect its market from being complicit in human rights abuses.”

Last Year, the UK Court of Appeal ruled that the UK National crime Agency’s failure to investigate the importation of cotton made using Uyghur forced labour from China was illegal. This decision, obtained by the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) and the Global Legal Action Network (GLAN), marked a turning point for UK merchants.

The ruling underscored the legal risks faced by businesses importing goods made using forced labour. According to the court’s decision, companies that import commodities knowingly linked to illegal activities, such as Uyghur forced labour, could face prosecution under the Proceeds of Crime Act. For the first time, supply chains involved in the genocide of Uyghur and other Turkic peoples in Xinjiang, China, were successfully disrupted.