By Uyghur Times Staff
July 10, 2025 – Amsterdam, Netherlands
On July 9, 2025, the Amsterdam City Council passed a motion to officially support the use of the term East Turkistan instead of Xinjiang, aligning with global calls for justice and recognition of Uyghur identity.
The resolution was introduced by members of the Dutch political party Denk, formally known as the Political Movement Denk, and was successfully adopted following council deliberations.
The move has been hailed by Uyghur activists and international human rights advocates as a meaningful gesture of solidarity. Abdurahim Gheni Uyghur, a prominent Uyghur activist based in the Netherlands, had earlier urged the Uyghur community to support the motion by writing to the council. Following its approval, he stated, “A shot has been fired from the Amsterdam city parliament at China’s aggressive government.”
In a public statement shared on Instagram, Denk Party emphasized the deeper meaning behind the council’s decision:
“We do not speak the language of the oppressor.
The Amsterdam council speaks out for justice, and that begins with words.
Our motion has been adopted: Amsterdam recognizes the right of Uighurs to call their native region East Turkestan, not Xinjiang, a name imposed by the oppressor.
Anyone who recognizes oppression speaks out. Not in the words of the oppressor, but in the language of solidarity.
Proud of a council that dares to speak out for truth, justice, and human dignity.”
The Denk Party was founded in February 2015 by Dutch parliamentarians Tunahan Kuzu and Selçuk Öztürk, who had broken away from the Labour Party in 2014 over disagreements regarding the treatment of Muslims and Turks in the Netherlands. While originally established by Muslim MPs, Denk has since evolved to include non-Muslim members and advocates broadly for the rights of ethnic minorities, including Turks, Africans, Moroccans, and Muslim communities.
The adoption of this resolution marks a growing trend of European cities taking symbolic steps to stand in solidarity with the Uyghur people, who have faced systemic genocide under Chinese rule in their homeland, which Beijing refers to as Xinjiang.
Uyghur Times will continue monitoring developments in local and international government actions in support of Uyghur human rights.
