WUC Roundtable in Berlin to Examine China’s Transnational Repression and the New Ethnic Unity Law
The World Uyghur Congress, a member of the Coalition Against Transnational Repression in Germany, will host, in cooperation with partner organizations, a roundtable discussion entitled “Uyghur Rights Beyond China’s Borders: Transnational Repression in the Shadow of the Ethnic Unity Law” on 12 November 2026 in Berlin.
The event will examine the growing phenomenon of transnational repression targeting Uyghur communities living outside China and the implications of China’s new Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress. Particular attention will be given to Article 63 of the law, which explicitly addresses organizations and individuals outside China and provides for legal responsibility for activities that Chinese authorities consider to undermine “ethnic unity and progress” or create “ethnic division.”
Against the backdrop of increasing concerns over foreign-state intimidation beyond national borders, the discussion will explore how Uyghurs living in Germany and other democratic countries continue to face surveillance, intimidation, digital targeting, pressure on family members in China, and other forms of transnational repression aimed at restricting freedom of expression, political participation, and human rights advocacy.
The roundtable will bring together Uyghur activists, China experts, parliamentarians, and representatives of civil society organizations to assess the implications of the new legislation and examine broader patterns of Chinese transnational repression affecting individuals and communities abroad.
A prominent Uyghur activist will share first-hand experiences of repression beyond China’s borders, while a China expert will analyze Article 63 and its potential implications for individuals and organizations operating outside China. Representatives of organizations working on transnational repression will also contribute to the discussion by highlighting common strategies used by authoritarian governments to extend repression beyond their borders.
Members of the German and European Parliaments will provide perspectives on how Germany and the European Union should respond to foreign-state intimidation and strengthen protections for individuals exercising their fundamental rights and freedoms within democratic societies.
At the heart of the discussion is a fundamental question: who determines the boundaries of freedom for people living in Germany: the rights and protections guaranteed under democratic law, or the threat of repression imposed by an authoritarian state from abroad?
For more information about the event, including the full agenda and speakers, please visit the event page at the following link: https://berlin-freedom-week.
