Uyghur rights advocates have intensified their push for international accountability over China’s policies in Xinjiang, raising concerns over repression, surveillance, and alleged human rights violations, according to the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) weekly brief.
The report highlighted discussions held at the Third International Uyghur Forum (IUF) in Berlin from June 11–13, which brought together more than 200 participants from 25 countries under the theme “Ten Years Since the Camps: From Recognition to Accountability – What’s Next?”
Organised by the World Uyghur Congress and the Uyghur Center for Democracy and Human Rights, the forum focused on issues affecting Uyghurs and other Turkic communities, including allegations of transnational repression, forced labour, cultural assimilation, and the psychological impact of activism.
Participants also discussed the role of international institutions in addressing human rights concerns and heard testimony from a former Chinese official. The forum concluded with the adoption of the Berlin Declaration, which reaffirmed global efforts to seek accountability and protect Uyghur rights.
Also read: ‘China's repression in Tibet under global spotlight’
In the United States, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on June 17 approved the Uyghur Policy Act of 2026, introduced by Senators John Curtis and Jeff Merkley. The legislation aims to strengthen US engagement on Uyghur human rights issues and counter what advocates describe as efforts by Beijing to suppress Uyghur voices abroad.
The proposed bill calls on the US State Department to prioritise Uyghur rights in foreign policy, support political prisoners, promote cultural preservation, expand diplomatic outreach to Muslim-majority countries, and enhance advocacy within international institutions. It will now require approval from both chambers of Congress before becoming law.
At the international level, concerns were also raised during the 62nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk reportedly warned that China’s recently adopted Ethnic Unity Law could further restrict the rights of ethnic minorities, including Uyghurs, Tibetans, and Mongolians.
The WUC brief said these developments reflect growing global attention on alleged human rights violations and renewed efforts by advocacy groups to push for international accountability mechanisms.
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