Press Release – For Immediate Release
December 6, 2023
Contact: East Turkistan Government in Exile
Website: www.East-Turkistan.net
Phone: +1 202 599 2244, Ext:1
Email: contact@east-turkistan.net
NEW YORK CITY — In a landmark event paralleling the 22nd Session of the Assembly of State Parties of the Rome Statute in New York City, the East Turkistan Government in Exile (ETGE) convened a critical side event. The side event, a vital forum for justice and human rights advocacy, brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including survivors of China’s concentration camps, international legal experts, researchers, and leaders of the Uyghur and Kazakh communities of East Turkistan.
The side event commenced with an impactful address by British international human rights lawyer, Rodney Dixon KC, representing the ETGE. Mr. Dixon provided an in-depth analysis of East Turkistan’s case before the International Criminal Court (ICC), underscoring the submission of three dossiers of compelling evidence. Highlighting the ICC’s jurisdiction over crimes committed in Tajikistan, a signatory of the Rome Statute, Mr. Dixon brought attention to the harrowing situation of over 3,000 Uyghurs forcibly repatriated from Tajikistan to East Turkistan and subsequently disappeared into China’s vast network of concentration camps and prisons.
In a statement urging international support, Rodney Dixon KC emphasized, “We call upon the State Parties to the Rome Statute to make a formal referral to the ICC, to investigate the ongoing genocide against the Uyghur and other Turkic peoples. The international community must not remain passive in the face of such blatant violations of human rights.”
East Turkistan Government in Exile President Dr. Mamtimin Ala delivered a poignant address, emphasizing the urgency and moral imperative for international action. “We stand at a critical juncture where silence and inaction are tantamount to complicit and tt is therefore imperative for the international community, particularly the member states of the Rome Statute, to take a resolute stance,” President Ala stated. “We call upon you to urge the International Criminal Court to launch an investigation into China’s heinous acts of genocide in East Turkistan for this is not merely a call for justice, but an appeal to uphold the tenets of humanity that bind us all,” he added.
Dr. Adrian Zenz, a distinguished researcher at the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, underscored the importance of global cooperation in seeking accountability and justice for the ongoing genocide. His insights into the systematic oppression in East Turkistan highlighted the need for concerted efforts from governments and international organizations.
The event was further marked by the powerful testimony of Ms. Tursunay Ziyawudun, a Uyghur survivor of China’s concentration camps. Her account of the inhumane conditions and personal suffering served as a stark reminder of the ongoing human rights crisis. “I implore the ICC and its member states to take a stand against these atrocities and initiate an investigation into the genocide and crimes committed in East Turkistan. The international community bears a moral responsibility to act against these violations,” she stated.
Investigator and researcher Mr. Ethan Gutmann from the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation provided critical insights into the situation of Uyghurs in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, emphasizing the urgent need for ICC intervention. His findings, based on extensive field research, highlighted the scale of forced repatriations and the dire circumstances facing the Uyghur diaspora.
Ms. Sayragul Sauytbay, a Kazakh survivor and Vice President of the East Turkistan Government in Exile, shared her harrowing experiences in China’s camps, warning of the global implications of the Chinese Communist Party’s actions. “To prevent the recurrence of such genocide, we call on the ICC to investigate these crimes in East Turkistan. We demand accountability for the perpetrators, including Xi Jinping, before the ICC,” she asserted.
East Turkistan Government in Exile Foreign Minister Salih Hudayar addressed alarming new developments in the East Turkistani diaspora, specifically calling out the actions of Turkiye. Highlighting recent incidents involving the detention and fears of extradition of Uyghurs in Turkiye, he demanded immediate action to safeguard the rights and freedoms of the East Turkistan people. “We demand the immediate release of the Ilyas Ablikim, Muhammet Tursun, and other detained Uyghurs and call on the Turkish government to cease all extradition of East Turkistanis.”
As the event drew to a close, the collective message was clear and resounding: The plight of the Uyghur, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, and other Turkic peoples under the oppressive Chinese occupation in East Turkistan is not merely a regional issue but a global concern that demands immediate and decisive action. This gathering underscored the urgency for the International Criminal Court and the international community at large to recognize and act upon the atrocities being committed in East Turkistan. It is a matter of moral imperative and international responsibility to ensure that such acts of genocide and crimes against humanity do not go unaddressed.