Canada Uyghur Association Urges International Action Against Human Rights Violations in East Turkestan

Introduction: A Test of the Ummah's Conscience

Today, the genocide faced by Uyghur Muslims in East Turkestan has become a test of conscience for all of humanity, and specifically for the Islamic Ummah. In recent statements, the Uyghur Association of Canada and the Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project (URAP) have strongly criticized the international community, particularly the Muslim world, for its silence regarding the systematic oppression in East Turkestan. In an urgent call issued on February 25, 2026, they demanded immediate action against the Chinese regime's policies aimed at erasing Islamic identity, destroying mosques, and intensifying surveillance through artificial intelligence in the region [1.1](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQFlP63Zlj-D9lgp2G309EA6XjJMs2Cwfs3FsprH6yL5fxiT-2TAuCPb0KMT6ojY63UxtjSFNlIoaHdag19zwroiPLNhEthk3CdpGF1eNb5E0tc0udR5x6KghSt_LWTuw0oqjTk6g1kPa_6qmjk7gQx5qnrYvXJpHmJ5yhOywL-Pz2BsbsAvocYHxlO1Y5PHTBNTx_eyAoJvlmI=).

A New Form of Oppression: AI and Digital Prisons

According to the "2025 East Turkestan Human Rights Violations Index" report released in Istanbul in February 2026, the Chinese government has equipped its repressive policies in the region with even more advanced technology. The report emphasizes that the physical control mechanisms of 2024 have evolved into fully automated surveillance systems supported by Artificial Intelligence (AI) by 2025 and 2026 [1.1](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQFlP63Zlj-D9lgp2G309EA6XjJMs2Cwfs3FsprH6yL5fxiT-2TAuCPb0KMT6ojY63UxtjSFNlIoaHdag19zwroiPLNhEthk3CdpGF1eNb5E0tc0udR5x6KghSt_LWTuw0oqjTk6g1kPa_6qmjk7gQx5qnrYvXJpHmJ5yhOywL-Pz2BsbsAvocYHxlO1Y5PHTBNTx_eyAoJvlmI=). This system monitors the daily lives of Uyghurs, labeling even the most basic religious activities—such as praying or engaging in religious conversations—as "extremism" and automatically adding individuals to detention lists.

From an Islamic perspective, this is not just the oppression of a nation, but an open war against the freedom to worship on Allah's earth. Under China's "Sinicization of Religion" policy, the confiscation of copies of the Holy Quran, the conversion of mosques into entertainment venues, and the martyrdom of scholars in prisons (such as the death of Imam Abidin Damollam in custody) continue to break the heart of the Ummah [1.5](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQE7tFxyTzOHvhWqNu1noD6BlYG9oHprJXnfEYVMriWCg2fZAgBCDg1ip34OruHuxJhKg3vLP5R9HHdZPFU0-c7mAdLuKti-coyAML0BoTVOG_A9Kn64xnIIFzkgLjQTuqIHypHsYXn0AbloGjNfQZ4HHJRXKtdskZTgrU2ttXDNu3uDzApsLfJiTxMmdQcnoIi_hMAwWRwJGqJMrwmDOWS6sELADdIsndWxuDRf-DuBc5Si96jYLTj1XYOcrpqSBJnVgsrw6l-cD6qXh-JCFNZ4CscFiBf9xGp1nIQy4EXbdjYafJXsmMTbvEA=).

The Uyghur Movement in Canada and the M-62 Program

As a result of the consistent efforts of the Uyghur Association of Canada and URAP, the Canadian government implemented the M-62 resolution to accept 10,000 Uyghur refugees. Since May 2025, URAP has been officially recognized as a partner organization by the Canadian Ministry of Immigration [1.6](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQFLnAYeSInw2MkZdCPAqIt6QIJ1WjLCqJSbjEBJwgQ8q1bNn2hx96X8ZExurVw4YEM0zhLWTHjQ2w1nqUX7SY_TRV75aKuyK50YDQ00J6-X3mCofJVNDurYWkovxldCRZP_xDC0F8fQyvsjd6gyDGy55bM8q1H3ZInVnkln2Iwe4HA6Nw==). Through this program, some of our Uyghur brothers and sisters who were at risk in Thailand, Turkey, and other third countries have begun arriving in Canada. For instance, the arrival of Idris Hasan in Canada to reunite with his family after being detained for a long time in Morocco is a victory for these efforts [1.6](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQFLnAYeSInw2MkZdCPAqIt6QIJ1WjLCqJSbjEBJwgQ8q1bNn2hx96X8ZExurVw4YEM0zhLWTHjQ2w1nqUX7SY_TRV75aKuyK50YDQ00J6-X3mCofJVNDurYWkovxldCRZP_xDC0F8fQyvsjd6gyDGy55bM8q1H3ZInVnkln2Iwe4HA6Nw==).

During this process, the Chinese regime has increased its pressure on Uyghur activists in Canada, including Mr. Mehmet Tohti. Although the Chinese government announced sanctions against 12 URAP staff members at the end of 2024, Mehmet Tohti called this a "badge of honor" and stated that the struggle against oppression would not stop [1.18](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQHtTmf9UlZHcjVtwXOC79GFHzwc-w3G4uHqPU7o5vPIQtGtHT5Lh6sz3HF62wM39qYtVrcsXyqDLc1zkquSPzfjSSoP9lctJq-HKD6TC6RM3_K7Zd8Tqbgcq5WVUyjF63gx4KTUSKNDBSOyw4c8lgoghgbpxu0FZ-TqRHKZFk5z2wK_uaOGmxZMbbPcM4LHLnHLnlGKrh5wKnVmADPtF0Lln_Y=). Furthermore, the "Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act" has been introduced in the Canadian Parliament, advocating for a ban on products made through the enslavement of Uyghurs from entering the Canadian market [1.6](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQFLnAYeSInw2MkZdCPAqIt6QIJ1WjLCqJSbjEBJwgQ8q1bNn2hx96X8ZExurVw4YEM0zhLWTHjQ2w1nqUX7SY_TRV75aKuyK50YDQ00J6-X3mCofJVNDurYWkovxldCRZP_xDC0F8fQyvsjd6gyDGy55bM8q1H3ZInVnkln2Iwe4HA6Nw==).

The Responsibility of the Islamic World and Political Silence

A point specifically emphasized in the call from the Uyghur Association of Canada is the stance of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Muslim countries. As stated in the Hadith: "The believers are like one body; if one part of it aches, the rest of the body feels the pain." However, many Muslim countries' prioritization of economic interests with China over religious brotherhood and justice has contributed to the prolongation of the oppression in East Turkestan.

Recent reports indicate that the Chinese government is using its cooperation with Arab countries to exercise "transnational repression" to extradite and silence Uyghurs abroad [1.13](https://urap.ca/reports/). The Uyghur Association of Canada has called on Muslim leaders not to believe China's false propaganda and to take an open stand against the destruction of mosques and the restriction of Islamic education in the region. They emphasize that the issue of East Turkestan is not just a political matter, but a matter of protecting the sanctities of Islam.

International Pressure and Future Steps

In January 2026, ahead of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's visit to China, Uyghur organizations demanded that he place human rights, particularly the Uyghur genocide, at the center of the negotiations [1.14](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQFfmkmlH5WEWRjeRjaqcDvdTvRya77lPx9L9x0gXFdpV5vlajacVRflj3F_noZChF4WdlY7RROnM6MRwKSuKZcwRs5N2pfJOjea4pmjax691QoGwqep4Gcik2GHjQVQeJ3vHZWNa-GV1fLxZllPc4AOs_mie5hL-qWeez-IBPnbZEog9A==). They also called on the international community to take the following urgent measures:

1. **Official Recognition of Genocide:** More countries should legally designate China's actions as genocide. 2. **Banning Forced Labor Products:** Cutting off profits derived from the enslavement of Uyghurs. 3. **Protecting Refugees:** Preventing the extradition of Uyghurs in third countries back to China. 4. **The Role of the United Nations:** Breaking the silence following the 2022 report by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and implementing an actual investigation mechanism [1.8](https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQFyQ1-YKtYjF0ebSwFLqfq5lEbpmR6LaqFXwUSBxvErma33VOgxdt6Xx6Hr26Hx0o2Spy34eABJg7R4bRIZOVjQXSwTIlSUFZhgR1996jWWsMOhoYwN95rAKOKSsmNwgdfROt_lhtZhmAQ9ylnYQ4wMfyWKeTptQn8Ulq-EkFvB1vswL8zxr-aIUdnEDwA2Ki_qn_0Iog==).

Conclusion: Uniting for Justice

This call from the Uyghur Association of Canada reminds us that standing against oppression is the duty of not only Uyghurs but all of humanity and the Ummah. At a time when the call to prayer (Adhan) is being silenced in the mosques of East Turkestan and mothers are being separated from their children, remaining silent is to be complicit with the oppressor. As Muslims, regardless of where we are in the world, we are obligated to speak the truth, extend a helping hand to the oppressed, and be the voice of our Uyghur brothers and sisters on the international stage. Justice may be delayed, but it will never be lost. The time has come to act together for the liberation of East Turkestan and the restoration of the human dignity of the Uyghur people.