MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the cases of unjustly imprisoned Uyghurs in China, notably Ilham Tohti and Gulshan Abbas

B10‑0115/2024

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the cases of unjustly imprisoned Uyghurs in China, notably Ilham Tohti and Gulshan Abbas

(2024/2857(RSP))

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the 2019 Sakharov Prize to Ilham Tohti, an economist fighting peacefully for the rights of China’s Uyghur minority,

–  having regard to Rules 150 of its Rules of Procedure; 

1. whereas respect for human rights, democracy, and the rule of law is a major preoccupation of the EU relations with the PRC;
2. Whereas China systemically persecutes Uyghurs, Tibetans, Mongols and other minorities, human rights and democracy defenders, religious groups, and journalists, especially in Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong and Macao;
3. whereas in 2014 Ilham Tohti was sentenced to life imprisonment for ‘separatism’ and in 2019 Gulshan Abbas was sentenced to 20 years after her sister spoke publicly about the situation in Xinjiang; whereas both are held incommunicado and their health is deteriorating;
4. Whereas the Xinjiang Police Files provide evidence of the involvement of the Central Government in Beijing and Xinjiang Region officials in the mass internment of 1-2 million Uyghurs and others;
5. Whereas the PRC stifles discussion of these repressions through massive censorship on social media and in academia;

1. Strongly condemns the persecution of Uyghurs in the Xinjiang Region and the systematic human rights violations, including forced labour, sterilisations and acculturation and destruction of cultural heritage, that amount to crimes against humanity and genocide;
2. Reiterates its call for the immediate and unconditional release of unjustly imprisoned Ilham Tohti and Gulshan Abbas and to ensure their regular contact with family and lawyers, and medical care;
3. Urges the PRC and local authorities to cease its brutal repression in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong, and for the release of all arbitrarily detained activists, including Ekpar Asat, Rahile Dawut, Jimmy Lai, Chow Hang-tung, Anya Sengdra,  Chadrel Rinpoche, Chen Yunfei, Ding Jiaxi, Ding Yuande, Gao Zhisheng, Go Sherab Gyatso, Golog Palden, He Fangmei, Huang Qi, Huang Xueqin, Hushtar Isa, Yalkun Isa, Li Yanhe, Peng Lifa, Qin Yongming, Qin Yongpei, Ruan Xiaohuan, Semkyi Dolma, Tashi Dorje, Tashpolat Tiyip, Wang Bingzhang, Wang Jianbing, Pastor Wang Yi, Kamile Wayit, Xu Na, Xu Qin, Xu Yan, Xu Zhiyong, Yang Henjung, Yang Maodong, Yu Wensheng, Pastor Zhang Chunlei Zhang Zhan,  and EU citizen Gui Minhai as well as ending the harassment of their families and providing information about their location as well as medical conditions while allowing contact with their families;
4. Calls for establishing an independent international mechanism to investigate allegations of human rights violations in Xinjiang; urges the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to provide an update on the situation in Xinjiang and recommendations for holding the Chinese government accountable;
5. Regrets that the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue lacks goodwill on the part of China and does not produce tangible results; calls on the HR/VP to invite MEPs to this Dialogue and to initiate further human rights sanctions on all PRC officials involved in human rights abuses in Xinjiang and elsewhere in China;
6. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Member States, the HR/VP, the PRC and the UN.