Washington DC, Feb. 6 -- The Campaign for Uyghurs (CFU) on February 5, 2026, commemorated the 29th anniversary of the Ghulja Massacre, recalling what it described as a brutal crackdown by Chinese security forces on peaceful Uyghur protesters in East Turkistan.

According to the CFU release, the incident is remembered as a defining moment that foreshadowed the widespread repression and alleged genocide currently facing Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslim communities under Chinese rule.

As stated in the release, in the months leading up to February 5, 1997, Chinese authorities imposed a ban on meshrep, traditional Uyghur social and cultural gatherings that played a central role in fostering community cohesion and preserving cultural identity. ...