U.S. Senators Jim Risch, Chris Coons, and several colleagues released a statement on April 9 marking the tenth anniversary of Ekpar Asat’s detention by the Chinese government. The senators condemned Asat’s imprisonment and called for his immediate release.
The statement highlights concerns about human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other minorities in China. It comes as international attention continues to focus on the treatment of ethnic and religious groups in Xinjiang.
“Ten years ago, the Chinese government arbitrarily detained Ekpar Asat, a Uyghur entrepreneur. Over the last decade, he has endured years of solitary confinement and remains imprisoned far from his loved ones, serving a 15-year sentence for having committed no crime. We condemn in the strongest terms Ekpar’s arrest, arbitrary detention, and opaque sentencing without a fair trial and we call for his immediate and unconditional release,” said Risch, Coons, John Curtis, Dave McCormick, Rick Scott, Chris Van Hollen, Tim Kaine, Todd Young, Jim Banks, and Jeff Merkley.
The senators added: “Tragically, Ekpar is only one example of the Chinese government’s broader genocidal campaign against Uyghurs and other ethnic and religious minorities in Xinjiang. Since 2017, the Chinese government has detained more than one million Uyghurs and imposed an authoritarian system of censorship and surveillance, forced labor, severe restrictions on religious freedom, forced sterilizations, and forced abortions. These are horrendous crimes. China’s recent passage of a new ‘ethnic unity’ law only signals its escalating persecution of religious and ethnic minorities. We call on the Chinese government to end its horrific violations of internationally recognized human rights and immediately release all political prisoners including Mr. Asat.”
International experts believe that Asat was arrested because he participated in a U.S.-sponsored program as well as due to his social media activity and ethnicity.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee focuses on developing U.S. foreign policy through examining treaties or legislation according to its official website. The committee designates its chairman to lead majority members while its ranking member heads minority members as detailed online. Established in 1816 as one of the original standing committees according to historical records, it has shaped foreign policy by supporting measures such as the Truman Doctrine (1947) or Marshall Plan (1948), while also playing pivotal roles like rejecting the Treaty of Versailles (1919-1920) as noted by Senate sources.
As international scrutiny over human rights issues persists globally—especially regarding China’s actions—the senators’ call reflects ongoing legislative interest within key U.S. bodies responsible for shaping foreign policy.
