A Uyghur delegation from the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) and the Uyghur Center for Democracy and Human Rights (UZDM), led by WUC President Turgunjan Alawdun, UZDM President Dolkun Isa, WUC Vice President Zumretay Arkin, and WUC Information Center Director Iptihar Abdureshit, attended the United Nations Human Rights Council’s 61st session in Geneva, participating in several high-level engagements and discussions.
On 3 March, WUC Vice President Zumretay Arkin addressed a side event on transnational repression organized by the Society for Threatened Peoples. She highlighted the Chinese government’s systematic use of intimidation, surveillance, threats against family members, and coercion to silence Uyghurs living abroad. The event brought together more than 50 participants, including representatives from Germany, Chile, Spain, Switzerland, Czechia, Finland, Estonia, China, Canada, the United Kingdom, Thailand, and the Marshall Islands.
The delegation also participated in an academic discussion at the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) on the protection of human rights defenders. The event brought together UN Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders Mary Lawlor, state representatives, experts, and civil society actors. During the discussion, Dolkun Isa addressed the current situation of the Uyghurs, China’s transnational repression, and its growing influence within the UN system.