On Thursday (May 23), the Uyghur organization stated in a legal case filed that the Uyghur community in France is facing “intimidation and harassment” from the Chinese Communist government, which they equated to “suppression”.
According to Agence France-Presse, the European Uyghur Institute (IODE) mentioned that the intimidation escalated during Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping’s recent visit to France earlier this month.
The European Uyghur Institute stated in a release that Beijing is the “hidden hand behind the intimidation, harassment, and repeated threats against French Uyghur diaspora and supporters of Uyghur causes”.
The report also mentioned that such actions are “escalating at a worrying pace and becoming more systematic”.
The European Uyghur Institute claimed that during Xi Jinping’s official visit to France in early May, there was an “international crackdown”.
Xi Jinping’s visit was to celebrate the 60th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations with Paris. He was welcomed by French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace and enjoyed traditional meals in the Pyrenees.
Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen attempted to persuade Xi Jinping to lessen his close partnership with Russian President Putin. The partnership between China and Russia has strengthened since the Moscow invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The European Uyghur Institute detailed specific allegations of Chinese Communist harassment, including the disturbance of a theater performance in Paris during Xi Jinping’s visit on May 5.
The statement noted, “The organizers were intimidated by several groups suspected to be orchestrated by Chinese (Communist) security agencies.”
The European Uyghur Institute also mentioned that Gulbahar Jalilova, a Uyghur political refugee who arrived in Paris in October 2020, was threatened and even abducted by “Chinese (Communist) agents” outside her apartment on May 8.
The European Uyghur Institute emphasized that “these actions have a significant impact on the physical and mental health of the Uyghur community in France”.
According to reports from Le Monde, France’s domestic security agency (DGSI) and the Paris police confirmed that “Chinese state agents from a security agency… attempted an ‘intimidation operation’ against a Uyghur political refugee on May 8 but declared it a failure”.
The Chinese Embassy in Paris published a statement on its official website on Thursday denouncing the report as “fake news”, “full of errors”, and “clearly fabricated”.
【Source: Central News Agency】