FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—Justice For All Canada, Free Uyghur Now, 140 Uyghur and Muslim Organizations Release A Letter Demanding Action From Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)
Press Contact: Taha Ghayyur taha@justiceforall.org
Date: December 17th, 2020
(Toronto, Ontario, Canada 12/17/20) — Justice For All, headquarters of Toronto-based human rights agency Justice For All Canada, finds that the Chinese government’s extensive human rights violations against the Uighur and other Turkic population in East Turkestan (Xinjiang) meets the United Nations’ definition of genocide.
A letter to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), led by Student coalition Free Uyghur Now and co written by Justice For All and Justice For All Canada’s Save Uighur Campaign, was signed by 140 organizations including 75 Muslim student groups and 26 Uighur organizations.
“The OIC is failing to live up to its responsibilities as stated in the UN Charter,” stated Adem Carroll, UN Programs Director for Justice For All. “At a time when Muslims around the world are rightly outraged by the oppression of Uyghur and other Turkic People it is unacceptable that the OIC and its member states are silent. We call on the leadership of the Ummah to find their voice, stand against oppression and advocate for justice.”
“Muslim nations must not be influenced to remain silent on one of the gravest human rights tragedies of this moment,” said Taha Ghayyur, Executive Director of Justice For All Canada. “Just as the OIC prioritized discussing the impact of Myanmar’s genocide on Rohingya refugees at its most recent session, it must do the same for Uighur and Turkic minorities, who are experiencing similar atrocity crimes, including ethnic cleansing, mass arbitrary detention and genocide,” said Ghayyur. “We stand in solidarity with the courageous coalition of US Muslim groups, including Council on American-Islamic Relations, in pleading with OIC members not to be cowed by China’s intimidation tactics,” he added.
Tasnim Benalla, co-lead of Free Uyghur Now, stated: “We believe that the founding principles of OIC are principles that defend human rights and the rights of Muslim minorities, and we are not willing to give up on a multi-national platform that is meant to represent, protect and unite all Muslims. The realities we face remain difficult but the collective spirit and action of our Muslim Ummah alongside renewed efforts by the OIC will bring a swift end to these injustices.”
“My people are going through a genocide — a physical genocide. As we speak, millions of my people are suffering in the prisons and concentration camps under China’s attempt to eradicate Uighurs from East Turkestan,” stated Serwi Huseyin, Team Lead for Save Uighur Campaign.
“Why have Muslim leaders from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan turned a blind eye to the Uighur? We, Uighurs will hold you accountable in Allah’s (God’s) Court on the Day of Judgement,” Huseyin, a well known Uighur poetess, added. The Save Uighur Campaign is led by a mostly Uighur shurah (advisory board).
As cowriter of the letter to OIC, Justice For All urges global Muslim leadership to pressure China to stop this genocide.
Save Uighur Genocide report: https://www.justiceforallcanada.org/uploads/4/6/8/9/46897513/uighurgenocidereport.pdf
Letter with signatories: https://www.justiceforall.org/save-uighur/open-letter-to-organisation-of-islamic-cooperation-standwithuyghurs
Justice For All is a nonprofit human rights and advocacy organization with consultative status at the United Nations. Together, Justice For All and Justice For All Canada form a Muslim-led human rights network focusing on anti-genocide and global Islamophobia.
A letter to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), led by Student coalition Free Uyghur Now and co written by Justice For All and Justice For All Canada’s Save Uighur Campaign, was signed by 140 organizations including 75 Muslim student groups and 26 Uighur organizations.
“The OIC is failing to live up to its responsibilities as stated in the UN Charter,” stated Adem Carroll, UN Programs Director for Justice For All. “At a time when Muslims around the world are rightly outraged by the oppression of Uyghur and other Turkic People it is unacceptable that the OIC and its member states are silent. We call on the leadership of the Ummah to find their voice, stand against oppression and advocate for justice.”
“Muslim nations must not be influenced to remain silent on one of the gravest human rights tragedies of this moment,” said Taha Ghayyur, Executive Director of Justice For All Canada. “Just as the OIC prioritized discussing the impact of Myanmar’s genocide on Rohingya refugees at its most recent session, it must do the same for Uighur and Turkic minorities, who are experiencing similar atrocity crimes, including ethnic cleansing, mass arbitrary detention and genocide,” said Ghayyur. “We stand in solidarity with the courageous coalition of US Muslim groups, including Council on American-Islamic Relations, in pleading with OIC members not to be cowed by China’s intimidation tactics,” he added.
Tasnim Benalla, co-lead of Free Uyghur Now, stated: “We believe that the founding principles of OIC are principles that defend human rights and the rights of Muslim minorities, and we are not willing to give up on a multi-national platform that is meant to represent, protect and unite all Muslims. The realities we face remain difficult but the collective spirit and action of our Muslim Ummah alongside renewed efforts by the OIC will bring a swift end to these injustices.”
“My people are going through a genocide — a physical genocide. As we speak, millions of my people are suffering in the prisons and concentration camps under China’s attempt to eradicate Uighurs from East Turkestan,” stated Serwi Huseyin, Team Lead for Save Uighur Campaign.
“Why have Muslim leaders from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan turned a blind eye to the Uighur? We, Uighurs will hold you accountable in Allah’s (God’s) Court on the Day of Judgement,” Huseyin, a well known Uighur poetess, added. The Save Uighur Campaign is led by a mostly Uighur shurah (advisory board).
As cowriter of the letter to OIC, Justice For All urges global Muslim leadership to pressure China to stop this genocide.
Save Uighur Genocide report: https://www.justiceforallcanada.org/uploads/4/6/8/9/46897513/uighurgenocidereport.pdf
Letter with signatories: https://www.justiceforall.org/save-uighur/open-letter-to-organisation-of-islamic-cooperation-standwithuyghurs
Justice For All is a nonprofit human rights and advocacy organization with consultative status at the United Nations. Together, Justice For All and Justice For All Canada form a Muslim-led human rights network focusing on anti-genocide and global Islamophobia.