The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) welcomes the passage of the bipartisan Uyghur Policy Act (H.R. 2635) in the U.S. House of Representatives, a landmark step toward advancing a comprehensive strategy to support Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples facing repression under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
“The passage of this bill sends a powerful signal of solidarity to the Uyghur people at a time when our suffering is fading from the international agenda, even as the genocide continues,” said WUC President Turgunjan Alawdun. “This is not only about human rights, but about justice and accountability. We urge the Senate to act without delay to move this bill forward and make it law.”
The bill, championed by Representatives Young Kim (R-CA), Ami Bera (D-CA), and Gregory Meeks (D-NY), mandates stronger U.S. government coordination on Uyghur human rights policy, reinforces advocacy efforts, and confronts transnational repression. Importantly, it calls for diplomatic action at the United Nations, accountability for atrocities, and concrete measures to preserve Uyghurs’ distinct ethnic, religious, cultural, and linguistic identity, while also directing U.S. leadership in coordinating the release of political prisoners in East Turkestan who are detained for exercising their human rights or for being relatives of exiled Uyghurs.
The legislation also requires establishing reporting mechanisms for transnational repression cases, and push for international access to detention facilities and political re-education camps in East Turkistan.