Legislation asserts U.S. commitment to religious freedom, ethnic identity, and human rights
Washington, D.C. – This week, U.S. Senator John Curtis (R-UT) introduced the Uyghur Policy Act, legislation to confront and counter the ongoing human rights abuses by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) against the Uyghur people and other minority groups in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR). The comprehensive bill outlines a series of diplomatic, humanitarian, and strategic actions to pressure the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and support communities subjected to these abuses.
“The United States cannot stand idle while the CCP continues its systematic human rights abuses against the Uyghurs,” said Senator Curtis. “By ensuring the State Department is engaged at every level in supporting human rights for Uyghurs, this legislation affirms a moral imperative for the U.S. to stand against genocide and religious persecution.”
“Now more than ever it is critical to provide tools and guidance for the United States government to take effective action in coordination with allies to address this ongoing genocide. The provisions of this legislation are a powerful framework to do just that,” said Julie Millsap, Government Relations Manager, No Business With Genocide.
“The Uyghur Policy Act enhances the United States’ ability to confront the CCP’s genocide in the Uyghur region and address transnational repression beyond China’s borders. It is a strategic necessity that supports Uyghurs globally while challenging the international community to uphold the values it claims to defend,” said Rushan Abbas, Founder and Executive Director, Campaign for Uyghurs. “We are especially moved that the bill names Dr. Gulshan Abbas, my innocent sister, whose unjust imprisonment, along with that of countless others, exemplifies the repression this legislation seeks to end.”
“Senator Curtis’s bill is a beacon of hope for Uyghurs. Our people are suffering unbearable torments under a deliberate genocide,”said Omer Kanat, executive director of the Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP). “We urge the Congress to move quickly to pass the Uyghur Policy Act into law.”
Background:
The Chinese government’s abuses against Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang constitute a sweeping, systematic campaign that includes mass arbitrary detention—over one million people held without due process in camps aimed at erasing ethnic and religious identity. Detainees are subjected to forced labor, particularly in garment factories, as well as torture, including beatings and rape. The CCP imposes severe religious and ethnic discrimination through surveillance, travel restrictions, and bans on religious expression. Many are convicted in secret or sham trials under vague charges.
The Uyghur Policy Act, originally introduced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio while serving as a senator in the 118th Congress, directs the State Department to:
- Prioritize support for Uyghurs in diplomatic and foreign aid efforts;
- Engage regularly with Muslim-majority countries to amplify Uyghur advocacy;
- Train a selection of Foreign Service Officers serving in China, Turkey, and other nations hosting Uyghurs in the Uyghur language; and
- Instruct U.S. officials at international organizations to combat China’s attempts to prevent consideration of Uyghur issues in international forums.
Companion legislation in the House of Representatives has been introduced by Congresswoman Young Kim (R-CA) and was passed unanimously by the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
The full text of the bill can be found here.