A protest and press statement marking the 77th anniversary of China’s occupation of East Turkistan took place in Istanbul’s Sarıyer district on Thursday, 1 October 2026. The event outside the Chinese Consulate General was led by the East Turkistan Human Rights Watch Association (ETHR) and the International Union of East Turkistan NGOs.
Civil Society Representatives Address the Gathering
Musa Er, President of the East Turkistan Education and Solidarity Association, and Associate Professor Dr. Alimcan Buğda, President of the East Turkistan Scholars Union, delivered speeches at the event. Abdureşit Abdulhamit, Vice President of the World Uyghur Congress, also addressed participants.
Süleyman Göktürk, President of the İli Meshrep Foundation, and Muaz Talha Demirtaş, Istanbul President of Genç İHH, were also among the speakers.
Slogans and Placards Against China’s Occupation
Participants chanted slogans and carried placards expressing opposition to China’s occupation and repressive policies in East Turkistan. Throughout the event, various slogans were chanted and messages of solidarity with the people of East Turkistan were conveyed.
