WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, as Communist China prepares to host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, Senator Rick Scott hosted a press conference with Boston Celtics Center and human rights activist Enes Kanter Freedom, as well as members of the Uyghur and Hong Kong communities to highlight the horrific human rights abuses committed by the Chinese Communist Party.

For more than two years, Senator Scott and numerous human rights groups have called on the International Olympic Committee and others to move the games out of Communist China and to a nation that truly respects human rights. Joining Senator Scott at today’s press conference were members from Hong Kong Watch, Hong Kong Social Action Movement, Hong Kong Professional Network, DC4HK, the Hong Kong Democracy Council, the Campaign for Uyghurs, the Uyghur American Association and the Uyghur Human Rights Project.

Senator Rick Scott said, “Next week, the 2022 Olympics will begin in Beijing and the world will watch as Communist China tries to whitewash its crimes and churns its propaganda machine to make the world forget just how evil its regime is. Today, I was proud to bring together powerful and important partners and voices to send a clear message to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP): WE WILL NOT LET ANYONE FORGET ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN COMMUNIST CHINA. I want to thank Enes Kanter Freedom, Samuel Chu, Joey Siu, Mustafa Aksu and Elfidar Iltebir for joining me to deliver that message. America must be clear that Communist China’s abuses will not be tolerated. We must call out these crimes and we stand by the brave advocates for freedom and democracy in China, Hong Kong, Tibet and around the world. And every day we must show that the United States is an unyielding and unapologetic advocate for human rights - and unafraid of speaking the truth and upsetting General Secretary Xi and his communist party thugs. We won’t stop this fight.”

Enes Kanter Freedom, Boston Celtics Center and human rights activist said, “The Chinese government is committing genocide and crimes against humanity against my Uyghur brothers and sisters. They are erasing Tibetan identity and culture, attacking freedoms in Hong Kong and threatening democratic Taiwan. We can’t be silent in the face of these injustices. The world needs to wake up and realize that the Chinese Communist Party is not our friend.”

Samuel Chu, President of The Campaign for Hong Kong said, “Hosting the Olympics has become the go-to, proven solution for authoritarian regimes like the Chinese Communist Party to whitewash their crimes. China should never have been awarded these games. In 2019, Russia was banned from playing and hosting all major sporting events for four years, including the Olympics, for doping violations. Russia, for the crime of doping, is banned from the Games that will be hosted by a regime committing genocide. Let that sink in. If a ban is a justified punishment for doping, what is justified for the genocide and repression of 13 million ethnic minorities in the Uyghur homeland and 7.5 million Hong Kongers?”

Joey Siu, Policy Advisor for Hong Kong Watch said, “The Chinese Communist Party's authoritarian behavior and repressive policies against Hong Kongers, Uyghur, Tibetans, and the world cannot continue to be normalized. Any forms of participation in the 2022 Beijing genocide games will be equivalent to endorsing its escalating atrocities. And any forms of appeasement policies will be no different than allowing China to continue its oppression against our people, and inviting them into our own backyards.”

Mustafa Aksu, Program Manager at the Uyghur Human Rights Project said, “The Olympic Charter commitment to 'the preservation of human dignity' is a farce. The Chinese government's atrocities are an indelible stain on the Olympic movement.”

Elfidar Iltebir, Board Member of the Uyghur American Association said, “It's an outrage for the world to celebrate sport and friendship while our entire families are locked up and tortured.”

Omer Kanat, Executive Director of the Uyghur Human Rights Project said, “Olympic corporate sponsors are sportwashing genocide. The Beijing Games are a referendum on the Chinese government's atrocities. Do you ignore the ongoing genocide, or do you take a stand?”

Rushan Abbas, Founder and Executive Director of Campaign for Uyghurs said, “How can these games go on while the CCP carries out genocide? My sister has been imprisoned for 42 months, a victim of this regime's atrocities. To support and sponsor the Beijing 2022 Olympics are an insult to the ideals of the freedom, democracy, and humanity! I urge brands to end their complicity with the Uyghur genocide and terminate their sponsorship of the Olympics.”

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