One year later, Uyghurs demand accountability for deadly Urumqi fire

November 27, 2023 | Radio Free Asia | By Shohret Hoshur for RFA Uyghur

Over the weekend, the Uyghur Human Rights Project, or UHRP, called for accountability “for the deaths of dozens of Uyghurs” and for the release of those detained for participation in the “white paper” protests that followed in a separate statement released on the anniversary of the fire.

“Uyghurs were very moved to see so much sympathy for what happened following the [Urumqi] fire,” said UHRP Executive Director Omer Kanat. “The Chinese government must release all those detained during the protests and guarantee freedom of assembly.”

UHRP said that the deaths resulting from the fire “are deeply intertwined with broader repression faced by Uyghurs across the region.”

“Strict control over Uyghur movement, especially during Covid-19 lockdowns, exacerbated repressive policies that amount to crimes against humanity and genocide,” the group said.

Read the full article: https://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/fire-11272023163721.html