IPAC Calls on Moroccan Government to Block Extradition of Uyghur Activist to China
A group of over 40 parliamentarians representing over 15 legislatures have written to the Moroccan government demanding the release of Idris Hasan, an exiled Uyghur activist detained in Morocco and wanted by China.
Idris Hasan, also known as Yidiresi Aishan, was detained in Morocco after his arrival on a flight from Turkey following an international arrest warrant issued by the Chinese government. According to his family and close friends he will appear before the Court of Cassation on the 12th of August where his extradition to China will be considered.
The parliamentarians, all members of the cross-party Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), argue that if extradited Idris Hasan would be at grave risk of arbitrary detention, torture and other grave human rights abuses in the Uyghur Region’s extensive prison camp network. The letter, attached, notes that as an exiled activist, Idris Hasan would be a particular target for persecution. The parliamentarians call on the Moroccan government to fulfil their obligations under the UN Convention on Torture, which prohibits state parties from extraditing individuals to states where there is grounds to believe that the individual will be at risk of torture.
Signatories to the letter include parliamentarians from the US, the European Union, the United Kingdom and Australia. Prominent signatories include German Green MEP Reinhard Bütikofer, Chair of the European Parliament’s China Delegation; Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP, former leader of the UK Conservative Party; senior French En Marche! Senator André Gattolin and US Republican Congresswoman Representative Young Kim.
Senator André Gattolin, co-chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, said:
“It would be unacceptable for the Moroccan government to extradite Idris Hasan to China, where he will almost certainly face detention, torture and an unfair China. The Chinese government denies the basic human rights of Uyghurs and calls minority groups ‘terrorists’ – why would they treat him any differently?”
“The arrest of a Uyghur activist thousands of miles from China shows how nervous China is about any criticism of its authoritarian rule. The arrest will send a chilling warning to activists and dissidents everywhere, including in France and other democratic countries. As parliamentarians we will not stand idly by while the Chinese government carries out its brutal repression far beyond its borders.”
LETTER BEGINS
Ministry of Justice
Mamounia Square
Rabat
06 August 2021
Dear Mr Mustapha Ramid,
We, members of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, write to you to express our concern at reports that the Moroccan government has detained and is considering extraditing Idris Hasan (Yidiresi Aishan) following an international arrest warrant issued by the Chinese government.
Idris Hasan is a 34 year old ethnic Uyghur exile, activist and father of three who formerly resided in Turkey on a humanitarian permit. According to his family and close friends, Idris Hasan was stopped at Casablanca airport on the evening of July 19 after boarding a flight from Istanbul and is currently held at the Tiflet Detention Centre. Reports state that he will appear before the Court of Cassation on the 12th of August where his extradition to China will be considered.
In recent years the Chinese government has worked with governments across the world to forcibly deport hundreds of fleeing Uyghurs and other ethnic and religious minorities back to China. Those repatriated face arbitrary detention, torture, forced labour and other grave human rights violations in the Uyghur Region’s extensive prison camp network. As an exiled Uyghur activist, Idris Hasan would be at particular risk of such persecution.
The Chinese government also has a known history of using false charges of ‘terrorism’ to issue international arrest warrants against Uyghurs and dissidents who have fled China, including through abusing the Interpol Red Notice system. Idris Hasan’s case fits within a pattern of politically motivated arrests attempted by the Chinese government internationally.
To allow Idris Hasan to be extradited to China would be a grave miscarriage of justice and a major humanitarian failure. Such a decision would contravene Morocco’s obligations under Article 3 of the UN Torture Convention, which prohibits the extradition of a person to another state where there are substantial grounds for believing that they would be in danger of being subjected to torture — risking significant damage to Morocco’s reputation as an upholder of human rights and international law.
We, as parliamentarians from across the world, will be following the case of Idris Hasan closely and urge you to consider our concerns.
Yours sincerely,
Senator Eric Abetz (Australia)
Kevin Andrews MP (Australia)
Senator Alex Antic (Australia)
George Christensen MP (Australia)
Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (Australia)
Senator Kimberley Kitching (Australia)
Cassy O’Connor MP (Australia)
Samuel Cogolati MP (Belgium)
Senator Pavel Fischer (Czechia)
Jan Lipavský (Czechia)
James Bezan MP (Canada)
Hon. Irwin Cotler (Canada)
Senator Pierre J Dalphond (Canada)
Garnett Genuis MP (Canada)
Senator Leo Housakos (Canada)
Uffe Elbaek (Denmark)
Reinhard Bütikofer MEP (European Parliament)
Sandro Gozi MEP (European Parliament)
David Lega MEP (European Parliament)
Senator Olivier Cadic (France)
Frédérique Dumas MP (France)
Senator André Gattolin (France)
Constance Le Grip MP (France)
Margarete Bause MdB (Germany)
Gyde Jensen MdB (Germany)
Senator Malcolm Byrne (Ireland)
Senator Michael McDowell (Ireland)
Michael McNamara TD (Ireland)
Dovilė Šakalienė MP (Lithuania)
Tom van der Lee MP (Netherlands)
Simon O’Connor MP (New Zealand)
Louisa Wall MP (New Zealand)
Elisabet Lann (Sweden)
Fabian Molina MP (Switzerland)
Nicolas Walder MP (Switzerland)
Lord (David) Alton (UK)
Baroness (Natalie) Bennet (UK)
Rosie Cooper MP (UK)
Rt Hon Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP (UK)
Baroness (Helena) Kennedy (UK)
Chris Law MP (UK)
Tim Loughton MP (UK)
Siobhain McDonagh MP (UK)
Andrew Selous MP (UK)
Representative Young Kim (USA)
MEMBERS OF THE INTER-PARLIAMENTARY ALLIANCE ON CHINA
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