UHRP Calls on the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to Condemn Genocide, Ahead of Meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister

For immediate release
March 21, 2022 4:00 p.m. EDT
Uyghur Human Rights Project
Contact: Omer Kanat +1 (202) 790-1795, Peter Irwin +1 (646) 906-7722

The Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP) is deeply troubled by the inclusion of the Foreign Minister of China in the upcoming conference of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and calls on OIC member states to condemn the genocide of the Uyghur people in the strongest terms.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will attend the 48th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of the OIC, hosted by Pakistan March 22–23.

“It is absolutely inappropriate for an organization purporting to support Muslims around the world to invite the government responsible for abolishing religious expression for Uyghur Muslims, an outright genocide and an all-out war on Islam in the Uyghur homeland,” said UHRP Executive Director Omer Kanat.

The OIC describes itself as the “collective voice of the Muslim world.” The OIC’s charter commits it to safeguarding “the rights, dignity and religious and cultural identity of Muslim communities and minorities in non-member States.” 

As camp survivors have told UHRP, during indoctrination sessions Uyghurs are forced to reject their belief in Islam, make pledges to consume alcohol and tobacco, and promise to tell other Uyghurs about the evils of Islam.

The OIC has been shamefully silent on China’s treatment of Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples in recent years, despite expressing public concern for the treatment of Muslims in other countries. The organization even endorsed China’s policies in 2019, stating that the OIC “commends the efforts of the People’s Republic of China in providing care to its Muslim citizens” when passing a resolution on “safeguarding the rights of Muslim communities and minorities in non-OIC member states.” 

Read more:

Muslim Leaders in Asia Call for Action by Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), UHRP Statement, Dec 18, 2021

OIC widely criticised for failing to condemn China’s persecution of Uyghur: Rights and advocacy groups call on Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to demand accountability and transparency from Beijing, Middle East Eye, Dec 14, 2020 

OIC must condemn China’s mass internment of Uyghurs, by Omer Kanat in Malaysiakini, Sep 15, 2018