Sanctions on IPAC EU and UK members
This Chinese government has issued sanctions on a number of those within the IPAC network in retaliation for EU and UK sanctions on perpetrators of gross human rights abuses in the Uyghur region.
Those sanctioned include IPAC EU Members Reinhard Bütikofer MEP, Miriam Lexmann MEP, Samuel Cogolati MP and Dovilė Šakalienė MP, and IPAC UK Members Sir Iain Duncan Smith, Baroness Kennedy, Lord Alton, Nus Ghani MP and Tim Loughton MP. IPAC advisor Adrian Zenz has also been targeted.
IPAC is grateful for the messages of solidarity and support shared across the network. Read our statements following the sanctioning of Members in the EU and the UK.
IPAC News
Canada
The Canadian government implemented sanctions on four Chinese officials and one entity responsible for gross human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other groups. This is a major victory for IPAC Canada members, who have repeatedly advocated for these measures.
European Parliament
IPAC MEPs Reinhard Bütikofer and Sandro Gozi gave speeches urging EU parliamentarians to continue speaking out on human rights abuses in Xinjiang, in spite of intimidation from the Chinese government. This followed confirmation of EU sanctions on Chinese officials linked to abuses in Xinjiang, a major victory for IPAC EU members.
Engin Eroglu MEP led an open letter urging the EU to add officials responsible for the dismantling of democracy in Hong Kong to sanctions lists, with fourteen IPAC members among the co-signatories.
Miriam Lexmann MEP and Anna Fotyga MEP co-hosted a virtual event in the European Parliament discussing China’s alleged breaches of the Genocide Convention.
Italy
The Italian government denied permission for Chinese state backed firm ZTE to provide components for a new 5G mobile network, citing national security concerns. This follows calls from IPAC member Enrico Borghi MP within the Parliament’s Joint Intelligence Committee.
IPAC member Paolo Formentini tabled a resolution in the Foreign Affairs Committee declaring China’s abuse of Uyghurs in Xinjiang to be a genocide.
Switzerland
IPAC co-chair Fabian Molina MP has submitted a resolution to the National Council calling on Switzerland to declare an ongoing state perpetrated genocide against Uyghurs.
United Kingdom
IPAC UK members were credited with successfully leading campaigns for the UK to implement sanctions on perpetrators of human rights abuses in Xinjiang, in coordination with the US, Canada and the EU.
The Genocide Amendment to the Trade Bill led by IPAC member Lord Alton was narrowly defeated in the Commons on Monday, but did secure major concessions including a route for preliminary genocide determinations through parliamentary committees for cases involving states engaged in FTA negotiations with the UK.
Tim Loughton MP led a group of 16 IPAC UK members in calling for the government to add Chen Quanguo and Wu Yingjie to sanctions lists, in response to the publication of a report from the Tibet Advocacy Coalition linking these individuals to a new campaign of cultural and religious repression in Tibet.
United States
IPAC Senators Marco Rubio and Chris Coons proposed a bipartisan resolution condemning human rights abuses against Uyghurs. The resolution calls for international investigations into the abuses perpetrated by the Chinese government.
