The World Uyghur Congress has called on Finnish leaders to take a strong stance against the ongoing genocide of Uyghurs during their upcoming delegation visit to China, scheduled for October 28 to 31.
From October 28–31, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and his wife, Suzanne Innes-Stubb, will visit China joined by Minister of Climate and Environment, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Parliamentary Friendship Group with China Chair Ville and Vice Chair. The delegation is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on October 29 in Beijing to discuss bilateral relations and other issues.
The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) has called on Finnish leaders to take a strong stance against the ongoing genocide of Uyghurs during their upcoming delegation visit to China.
WUC stated, “The World Uyghur Congress calls on the Finnish leadership to take a firm stance on Uyghur human rights by addressing the ongoing Uyghur genocide with Chinese officials. As the delegation will be joined by representatives from various Finnish business sectors, we urge Finland not to conduct business as usual amid these serious human rights abuses perpetrated by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Discussions on Uyghur forced labour must be prioritised, in line with the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, which entered into force on July 25 this year, as well as the EU Forced Labour Regulation.”
The WUC further noted, “China’s dismissal of 30 recommendations from the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), particularly those relating to the rights of Uyghurs, Tibetans, and the repression of human rights defenders, journalists, and lawyers, underscores the need for Finland to reaffirm its commitment to its own UPR recommendations.”
“These recommendations stress the protection of human rights for ‘ethnic and religious minorities,’ including Uyghurs, and are aligned with the observations of the OHCHR and UN treaty bodies. Finland has also called for the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief to gain access to China, including East Turkistan,” the press release continued.
“The Finnish government has previously taken a strong position against China’s treatment of Uyghurs in international forums and is well-regarded for its leadership in human rights diplomacy,” said WUC Interim-President, Erkin Ekrem. “Finland must continue to advocate firmly for the protection of Uyghurs and not shy away from its moral responsibilities, even in light of economic interest and pressure.”
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