WUC Condemns Decathlon Over Uyghur Forced Labour Links

The World Uyghur Congress has condemned Decathlon after reports linked the company to forced Uyghur labor through its supplier, Qingdao Jifa Group. Allegations concern Jifa's involvement in China's 'Strike Hard Campaign.' Calls for Decathlon to investigate its supply chain and end ties to forced labor persist.

The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) has expressed strong disapproval and condemnation following revelations of French company Decathlon's involvement in the use of Uyghur forced labor in China. A report by 'Disclose' and 'Cash Investigation' linked Decathlon to the Qingdao Jifa Group, a major textile supplier in China implicated in the exploitation.

The Jifa Group is reportedly entwined with China’s contentious 'Strike Hard Campaign,' a program enforcing forced 're-education' through labor. According to the WUC, Uyghurs failing to comply with these labor requirements face imprisonment or internment, as illustrated by the case of Patima Bahit, a 16-year-old Uyghur girl coerced into working at Jifa from a vocational school.

WUC President Turgunjan Alawdun criticized multinational firms like Decathlon for profiting from systems exploiting Uyghur women and violating human rights standards. Alawdun urged businesses to recognize the severe risks tied to sourcing from China, acknowledging that proper due diligence is largely unfeasible.

This disclosure expands the list of companies implicated in forced labor practices amid Uyghur oppression. The United Nations has indicated such systems in East Turkestan might amount to crimes against humanity. The WUC demands immediate action from Decathlon, insisting it halt operations linked to Uyghur forced labour, investigate its supply chain transparently, and publish its findings, while calling for enhanced global legislation enforcement to hold corporations accountable for human rights violations.

Persistently, the WUC pledges to advocate for Uyghur rights, condemning all complicity in their repression.