World Uyghur Congress faces security breach ahead of 8th general assembly
Oct 22, 2024
Munich [Germany], October 22 : The World Uyghur Congress had to face a security breach after its employee's email account was hacked on Monday, falsely asserting that the organisation's general assembly in Sarajevo has been postponed, Voice of America reported.
The Washington-based international broadcaster stated that the mail was sent to all attendees, consisting of WUC delegates, foreign lawmakers and other candidates.
This happened amid the alleged harassment of the Germany-based WUC by the Chinese government.
In a post on X, the World Uyghur Congress said, "The WUC's email has been hacked and the hacker has been sending a postponement notice of our 8th General Assembly, in Sarajevo. All our guests have received an email from our colleagues Erkin Zunun and Dolkun Isa. Please beware, our GA is taking place as scheduled."
Zumretay Arkin, the WUC's spokesperson and director of global advocacy told VOA, "It's reached another level this time. The World Uyghur Congress is among the most important organisations in our movement, in the diaspora, and the Chinese government want to destroy it completely."
Arkin further stated that the Chinese government has pressurised the delegates of WUC from Australia, Germany, Ireland and Turkey not to participate in the general assembly and also threatened the family members living in Xinjiang.
Earlier the Chinese embassy in Sarajevo pressurized the local authorities to arrest Dolkun Isa, former WUC President and also planned to entirely cancel the general assembly.
The Chinese government has been accused of allegedly violating human rights and performing genocide against Uyghurs living in the northwestern region of Xinjiang.
The general assembly of the WUC is conducted every three years where the organisation elects the leadership and puts up strategies in response to human rights violations in the Chinese province of Xinjiang.
The northwestern Xinjiang is mostly inhabited by the Uyghurs and they claim it as the Uyghur region or East Turkmenistan.
