URAP Statement on Anniversary of Ghulja Massacre

February 5, 2023

On February 5, 1997, Uyghur youth in the city of Gulja (Yining) took to the streets to peacefully protest the brutality of the Chinese police and demand basic human rights. Their protest was met with a violent police response. At least 100 protestors were killed on the spot and many more were injured, detained, and disappeared afterwards.

The number of forceful disappearances of Uyghur youth amounts to thousands. Many of the victims remain untraceable today and are suspected to be dead. International human rights organizations including Amnesty International estimate over 200 Uyghur youth were sentenced after sham trials.

For the last 26 years since the massacre took place, the exiled Uyghur community across the globe and including in Canada, holds annual protests in front of their respective Chinese missions. This year’s manifestation will be held in Toronto with the participation of the World Uyghur Congress delegation who came to visit Canada on the occasion of the passage of motion M-62 (on the resettlement of 10,000 Uyghur refugees to Canada). Details of the demonstration in Toronto are below:

For media inquiries:

kayum@urap.ca