Global groups opposing Chinese Communist Party rule stage the largest ever joint, cross-movement action

For Immediate Release
September 30, 2020 9:00am EDT
Contact: Peter Irwin +1 (646) 906-77222

Activists demand governments take immediate action against the Chinese Communist Party on the 71st anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China 

On 1 October 2020, the anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, over 150 civil society groups representing Tibetan, Uyghur, Hongkonger, Southern Mongolia, Taiwanese and Chinese Democracy groups will stage the largest, coordinated, cross-movement action ever, calling on governments to take a strong multilateral stand in response to unprecedented human rights abuses perpetrated by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

The Global Day of Action [1] will see protests take place in 61 cities around the world in a show of international solidarity among Chinese human rights defenders, Tibetans, Uyghurs, Hong Kongers, Southern Mongolians, and Taiwanese; a coming together to recognise the present threat posed by the CCP to communities living under its rule, and for freedom, democracy, and human rights in China and globally.

The illegal occupation of Tibet, [2] arbitrary detention of millions of Uyghurs in internment camps, [3] loss of fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong, [4] erasure of Southern Mongolian culture and language, [5] intimidation and bullying of Taiwan, and the detention, disappearance, and silencing of countless Chinese lawyers and activists illustrates the scale of the existing concerns across the country. [6]

The issues faced by each and every community is a reflection of the CCP’s blatant disregard for the rights of those living in China and its occupied countries, and the desire of Xi Jinping to consolidate power and forcibly stifle dissent.

A growing chorus of voices have already begun to push back against many of these abuses:

In June 2020, the Interparliamentary Alliance on China [7] was established “to promote a coordinated response between democratic states to challenges posed by the present conduct and future ambitions of the People’s Republic of China.” The alliance is made up of nationally elected legislators including 36 co-chairs and 127 members from 17 countries.

On June 26, more than 50 independent UN experts issued a statement denouncing [8] China’s human rights record, notably the treatment of the Uyghurs and Tibetans, as well as the deteriorating situation in Hong Kong, and called for “decisive measures to protect fundamental freedoms in China.”

In July 2019, 25 UN Member States sent a letter [9] to the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Human Rights Council president urging China to end mass arbitrary detentions and other violations against Uyghurs other Turkic peoples.

We are therefore calling on governments to:

• To take stronger multilateral action in response to unprecedented human rights abuses perpetrated by the Chinese government and demand China immediately fulfill its human rights obligations in all bilateral and multilateral dialogues and exchanges.
• Establish an independent UN Human Rights Council mechanism to assess and monitor the ongoing and egregious human rights violations in China, particularly in relation to East Turkistan, Tibet, Hong Kong and Southern Mongolia.
• Impose targeted Magnitsky-style sanctions, such as the US Global Magnitsky Act, the Canadian Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act, and the UK Criminal Finances Act against senior Chinese government officials linked to human rights abuses.
• Impose economic sanctions on companies that are profiteering by aiding and abetting China’s genocidal and colonial policies in Tibet and East Turkistan.
• Revisit government policy towards the PRC and Taiwan, urging it to revise its “one China” policy and support Taiwan’s democracy. Condemn the PRC’s military intimidation of Taiwan and support Taiwan’s meaningful participation & inclusion in international organizations.

CONTACTS:

Dorjee Tseten, Students for a Free Tibet, +1 646-753-3889
Peter Irwin, Uyghur Human Rights Project, +1 646-906-7722
Frances Hui, We The Hongkongers, +1 425-245-4818
Mandie McKeown, International Tibet Network, +44 (0)7748158618
Zumretay Arkin, World Uyghur Congress, +49 1766 1619 262
Fengsuo Zhou, Tiananmen Survivor, +1 510-371-2098
Julie Millsap, Campaign for Uyghurs +1 830-822-7289
Keep Taiwan Free: un4tw.keeptaiwanfree@gmail.com 

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. Over 150 cross-movement organisations are taking part in a coordinated global day of action. To see the list of groups involved and a map of the global action cities see https://ResistChina.org/
2. Tibet is one of the most heavily-restricted countries in the world. In March 2020 Freedom House ranked Tibet as the 2nd ‘least free’ place in the world for the fifth consecutive year; only Syria ranks as less free: https://freedomhouse.org/country/tibet/freedom-world/2020; Human Rights Watch, ‘China Delves into Past to Police Tibet’s Future’: https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/09/07/china-delves-past-police-tibets-future
3. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination reviews the report of China https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=23452&LangID=E
4. https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=25487
5. http://www.smhric.org/news_679.htm
6. The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China is an international cross-party group of legislators working towards reform on how democratic countries approach China: https://ipac.global/
7. UN experts call for decisive measures to protect fundamental freedoms in China, 26 June 2020: https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26006&LangID=E
8. https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/supporting_resources/190708_joint_statement_xinjiang.pdf