By Tahir Imin Uyghurian, – August 4, 2025
Legislation expands sanctions, bans forced labor imports, and demands justice for victims of China’s atrocities against Uyghur people.
Washington, D.C. — On August 1, 2025, at the Uyghur Human Rights Project’s event hall in Washington, a press conference was held to introduce the Uyghur Genocide and Sanctions Accountability Act of 2025 — a sweeping bipartisan bill aimed at holding the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) accountable for its ongoing atrocities against the Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples.
The landmark legislation was introduced by Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chair and Co-Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC). They were joined by Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Representative Tom Suozzi (D-NY), both CECC Commissioners, as well as Representative John Moolenaar (R-MI), Chair of the House Select Committee on the CCP.
The press event drew representatives from leading Uyghur advocacy organizations, including the Uyghur Human Rights Project, Campaign for Uyghurs, Uyghur American Association, Uyghur Research Institute, and the Academy of Uyghur Studies. Speakers emphasized the urgency of the legislation and voiced strong support for its swift passage.
Unified Uyghur Support
Uyghur organizations welcomed the bill with a unified voice. Activists called it a critical step to elevate international awareness and compel real consequences for perpetrators of the genocide. Many emphasized the importance of U.S. leadership in addressing crimes against humanity and upholding human rights standards.
Omer Kanat, the Executive Director of the Uyghur Human Rights Project, told Uyghur Times:
“The Uyghur Genocide and Sanctions Accountability Act of 2025 sends a strong message that the United States will not tolerate the ongoing atrocities in East Turkistan. With bipartisan support and backing from the Uyghur community and human rights advocates, the bill is expected to be a centerpiece of this Congress’s human rights agenda.”
Rushan Abbas, Chairwoman of the WUC Executive Committee and Executive Director of Campaign for Uyghurs, said: “This legislation calls on the U.S. government to press Beijing for transparency and to make the reunification of American families with their missing or detained loved ones a priority. For me—and for thousands of Uyghur Americans—this is deeply personal. Our family members remain imprisoned and silenced under the Chinese regime. The UGASA Act represents a critical next step toward justice and accountability for the ongoing Uyghur genocide.”
Elfidar Iltebir, the President of the Uyghur American Association, said:
“This bill matters because it holds perpetrators accountable. By expanding the Global Magnitsky Sanctions and strengthening the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act, UGASA ensures that those responsible for genocide, forced labor, and transnational repression cannot act with impunity. It also imposes visa bans on officials and entities complicit in these crimes and strengthens the enforcement of U.S. laws intended to stop forced labor goods from entering our supply chains.”
Voices from the Hill
Senator Dan Sullivan emphasized the scale and intentional nature of the CCP’s crimes:
“The Chinese Communist Party has waged a deliberate and systematic campaign to destroy the Uyghur people through forced sterilization, mass internment, and forced labor. This legislation ensures that not only the perpetrators—but also those who profit from or support these crimes—are held to account.”
Representative Chris Smith noted:
“Genocide is not history—it’s happening now. This bill responds with resolve: sanctions, visa bans, survivor support, and clear measures to end complicity in these crimes. We cannot remain silent.”
Senator Jeff Merkley, former CECC Chair and key sponsor of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, stated:
“This bill builds on existing efforts by giving us new tools to challenge China’s horrifying surveillance regime, internment camps, and systemic abuses.”
Representative Tom Suozzi, also Co-Chair of the House Uyghur Caucus, remarked:
“This bipartisan bill is a top priority. It deepens sanctions and enhances our ability to expose and punish human rights abuses by the CCP.”
Representative John Moolenaar added:
“If we truly believe in human dignity, then accountability must be the foundation of our China policy. This bill delivers that accountability.”
A Strong Legislative Response to Genocide
The proposed Act would significantly strengthen U.S. efforts to address and respond to the CCP’s genocide and systematic repression of Uyghurs, including:
- Expanding sanctions under the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act to cover crimes such as forced organ harvesting, coerced abortions, and forced family separations.
- Mandating visa bans for foreign nationals involved in forced sterilizations and population control.
- Prohibiting U.S. government contracts and procurement from companies tied to Uyghur forced labor.
- Banning the sale and purchase of Chinese seafood products in U.S. Defense Department facilities due to their links to forced labor by Uyghur and North Korean workers.
- Supporting survivors of torture, arbitrary detention, and forced sterilization with access to medical and psychological care.
- Promoting the preservation of Uyghur culture and language, which the PRC seeks to erase.
- Strengthening efforts to counter Chinese disinformation and propaganda denying the genocide.
- Providing resources for the documentation of atrocity crimes to support future international or domestic prosecutions.
