UHRP Marks International Holocaust Remembrance Day

For immediate release
January 27, 2026, 4:00 p.m. EST
Contact: Omer Kanat, +1 (202) 790-1795

On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP) honors the memory of the six million Jewish people murdered in the Holocaust and all victims of Nazi atrocities. The day marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz on January 27, 1945, and serves as a global reminder of the consequences of unchecked hatred and state-sponsored violence.

“Remembering the Holocaust is a moral responsibility shared by all humanity,” said Omer Kanat, UHRP Executive Director. “We honor the singular tragedy of the Holocaust and express deep gratitude for the solidarity that members of the Jewish community have shown to Uyghurs as our people endure an ongoing genocide.”

Eighty-one years later, the promise of “Never Again” remains unfulfilled. Uyghurs today face ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity at the hands of the Chinese government, including mass detention, forced labor, family separation, and the systematic destruction of religious and cultural heritage. A 2025 report by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide, authored by Rian Thum, confirms that repression of the Uyghur people remains severe and ongoing.

Holocaust survivor and human rights advocate Congressman Tom Lantos warned that “the veneer of civilization is paper thin.” His words serve as a stark reminder that mass atrocities do not occur suddenly, but unfold over time when societies normalize persecution and when the international community fails to act.

On this International Holocaust Remembrance Day, UHRP calls on governments and international institutions to honor the lessons of the Holocaust through concrete action to end the Uyghur genocide and ensure accountability for crimes against humanity.