Uyghurs demonstrators take part in a protest against China in Istanbul, Turkey on October 1, 2020 [File: Murad Sezer/Reuters]
Turkistan Times, June 10, Tokyo: A new report titled "The History, Culture, and Struggle for Survival of the Uyghurs: Between Oblivion and Resistance," published by the Japan Uyghur Association (JUA) on May 30, 2025, once again exposed the ongoing large-scale and systematic human rights violations, cultural and religious suppression, and genocidal policies being carried out by the Chinese government in the region it calls the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (East Turkistan). This report was prepared based on a wealth of new information, testimonies, and leaked government documents, and is critically important for understanding the true nature of the severe crisis facing the Uyghur people.
In the introduction section of the report, the ancient history, geographical location, rich resources, and multi-ethnic culture of East Turkistan are briefly narrated. It is also mentioned that since the 20th century, under Chinese rule, Uyghurs have been subjected to national and religious pressure, and major changes have occurred in the economic and demographic structure. The report emphasizes that in recent years, realities such as surveillance, forced labor, assimilation policies, and cultural destruction targeting Uyghurs have been revealed through various investigations and testimonies by the international community and have been deemed "serious human rights violations" by the UN, governments of various countries, and international human rights organizations.
The Reality of Forced Detention Camps Intensifies
Chapter 6 of the report gives extensive coverage to the reality of "Forced Detention Camps." According to the report, China established large-scale forced detention camps in East Turkistan starting in 2017, and based on the report, at least 3 million Uyghurs and people from other Turkic ethnic groups have been forcibly interned in these camps. The report also states that the number and size of these camps have been revealed, and according to new information, there are at least 5 detention centers in each county, some capable of holding thousands or even tens of thousands of people.
The report provides details on what happens inside the camps, stating that detainees are under strict surveillance, forced to learn the ideology of the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese language, and that torture, sleep deprivation, food restriction, shackling, and other forms of physical and mental abuse have become part of daily life. The report specifically highlights that sexual violence against women is also a daily occurrence, noting that several female detainees have testified about being subjected to gang rape by guards inside the camps. It is emphasized that these testimonies are consistent with each other and that international human rights organizations have also corroborated such situations.
The Horror of Forced Sterilization and Organ Harvesting
According to new information provided in the report, there are numerous testimonies that all women detained in the camps are being forcibly sterilized, that medication is being put into their ovaries, and that forced sterilization surgery is being performed on women aged between five and forty. It is clear that this policy is being used to deliberately reduce the Uyghur population.
The report also notes that death incidents have increased in the camps. Apart from the bodies of some elderly people, it is stated that bodies are not given to families but are cremated in newly built "body disposal facilities," and that there is information about organs being taken from bodies for organ trafficking. The report notes that signs seen at Kashgar Airport as evidence, such as "Human Organ Transport Channel" and "Human Organ Donation, Organ Transplant Aviation Security Assurance Procedure," prove that the state is forcibly taking organs from people.
The Destruction of Culture and Loss of Identity
Chapter 11 of the report gives extensive coverage to the Chinese government's policies aimed at destroying Uyghur culture. According to the report, this policy aims at forcibly assimilating the Uyghurs. Men are forbidden from growing beards, and women are forbidden from wearing face veils and long skirts. People's traditional ethnic clothing has been forcibly changed to Chinese clothing. The report states that mosques have been widely demolished, and those that remain have surveillance cameras and Chinese flags installed from above. Prayer and fasting are forbidden for those under 18, students, officials, and others. Giving "Islamic" names is prohibited, and forced name changes have been implemented. The report also mentions that cemeteries have been destroyed in an attempt to sever the historical ties of the Uyghurs. Changing place names to Chinese is also part of this policy.
Targeting Intellectuals and Separating Children
As one of the important points of the report, it is stated that intellectuals, who play a crucial role in preserving Uyghur culture, have been deliberately targeted. According to the report, approximately 386 Uyghur intellectuals have been "detained, imprisoned, or forcibly disappeared" since April 2017, and it has been verified that at least 5 of them died while in detention. The report also provides the example of economist Ilham Tohti, a nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2014.
As one of the most heartbreaking situations in the report, it is stated that Uyghur children whose parents are detained, i.e., the "orphaned," are being forcibly taken to state-supervised institutions such as nurseries, boarding schools, and other facilities. According to the information provided in the report, children in these institutions are centrally educated in the Chinese language and the ideology of the Chinese Communist Party. It is emphasized that this policy aims to break the integrity of Uyghur society and the connection of cultural identity by "separating generations."
Overseas Uyghurs Also Became Objects of Surveillance
Chapter 10 of the report states that the high level of surveillance directed at Uyghurs by the Chinese government not only suppresses the freedom of Uyghurs living in East Turkistan but also deeply affects Uyghurs living abroad. According to the report, the Chinese government has used the method of holding families hostage to force overseas Uyghurs to monitor human rights activists and provide information, attempting to divide the Uyghur community. Among the examples provided in the report, it is stated that after an Uyghur who fled to the UK lost contact with his family, he was able to communicate via video call with police intervention, but this communication was also fully under police control, and he was forced to spy.
The report also notes that Uyghurs in Japan are under the surveillance and threat of the Chinese government. Letip Exmet, the head of the Japan Uyghur Association, is quoted as stating that "people who look like Chinese" secretly take photos during street activities, testimony meetings, and even exhibitions, and that the police do not allow the surveillance of Uyghurs to suppress freedom of speech.
Conclusion: Call to Stop Genocide
This new report published by the Japan Uyghur Association clearly demonstrates once again that the Chinese government's policies towards Uyghurs constitute genocide aimed at national annihilation. The report emphasizes that forced detention camps, cultural destruction, religious suppression, forced labor, and pressure on overseas Uyghurs are all part of a holistic, systematic plan.
At the end of the report, it is noted that the Chinese government is committing "crimes against humanity," and the international community and the Japanese government are called upon to condemn China's actions, close the camps, and immediately release all detainees. This call warns that the issue is a matter of life and death for the Uyghur nation and emphasizes the importance of resolving this issue for world peace as well.
You can view the full version of the report here.
