UHRP Welcomes European Parliament Resolution, Urges EU to Bring Uyghur Atrocities to International Accountability Mechanisms

June 9, 2022 | 5:00 p.m. EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact: Omer Kanat +1 (202) 819-0598, Peter Irwin +1 (646) 906-7722

The Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP) is encouraged by the European Parliament resolution recognizing crimes against humanity and the serious risk of genocide targeting Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples. UHRP urges EU Member States to take steps to bring the case to relevant international accountability mechanisms.

“There is no better time to finally bring the case to an international court to adjudicate the evidence of atrocities,” said UHRP Executive Director Omer Kanat. “The European Parliament just affirmed the EU’s own obligation to prevent genocide—what are they waiting for?”

The resolution, supported overwhelmingly by Members of the European Parliament, affirms that “credible evidence about birth prevention measures and the separation of Uyghur children from their families amount to crimes against humanity and represent a serious risk of genocide.”

Critically, the resolution calls on the EU and Member States to take “all necessary steps […] to put an end to the atrocities and ensure responsibility for the crimes committed, including through international accountability mechanisms […]”

This action follows similar measures passed by parliaments in Canada, the UK, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Czech Republic, Belgium, France, and Ireland, as well as the US House of Representatives and the US government’s determination that China has committed genocide and crimes against humanity in the Uyghur region.

UHRP praises European Parliament resolution, urges strong collective action against Uyghur forced labor, December 17, 2020

UHRP Commends Further International Recognition of the Uyghur Genocide, Urges Action, January 20, 2022

UHRP Welcomes Latest Magnitsky Sanctions on Perpetrators of Uyghur Genocide, SenseTime Investment Ban, December 10, 2021

Independent Uyghur Tribunal Concludes the PRC is Committing Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity Against Uyghurs, December 9, 2021

U.S. Congress Condemns Uyghur Genocide, Gives Hope to Uyghurs Around the World, December 8, 2021

Coalition Open Letter to European Commission on Initiatives to Address Uyghur Forced Labour, November 9, 2021

UHRP welcomes finding of Chinese State violations under “each and every act” of the Genocide Convention, March 9, 2021

UHRP encourages UN, other governments to follow up on Canada’s historic Uyghur genocide vote, February 22, 2021

Authoritative legal opinion concludes that treatment of Uyghurs amounts to crimes against humanity and genocide, February 8, 2021

UHRP urges worldwide action in the wake of genocide finding, January 19, 2021

50 Genocide prevention organizations and experts call for UN Commission of Inquiry on crimes against humanity and genocide against Uyghurs, January 14, 2021

UHRP urges Canadian Government to act on parliamentary subcommittee finding of genocide, October 21, 2020