An event celebrating Muslim Heritage Month in the UK on March 11, sponsored by TikTok, has come under scrutiny from Uyghur rights activists.
The event, organized by Muslim Women's Network UK, aims to bring together interfaith organizations, content creators, and parliamentarians to recognize the cultural contributions of Muslims in the UK. However, concerns have been raised about TikTok's involvement, given accusations that its parent company, China-based ByteDance, censors content related to human rights abuses against Uyghurs.
Uyghur Activists Raise Concerns
Exiled Uyghur activists argue that TikTok systematically restricts content discussing China's repression of the predominantly Muslim Uyghur population.
"I do not believe the Muslim Women's Network UK supports violence or genocide, but its cooperation with TikTok sends a deeply troubling message," Nefise Oguz, a student at Istanbul University and an advocate for detained Uyghur relatives, told VOA.
Oguz, who has used TikTok to raise awareness about her imprisoned uncle, Alim Abdulkerim, claims the platform has repeatedly censored her posts about his case. The United Nations Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention declared Abdulkerim's imprisonment arbitrary in a 2024 report, calling for his release and likening China's internment facilities to prisons.
Oguz filmed a vlog about the report at the UN office in Istanbul, but TikTok removed it the same day. She appealed the decision, but TikTok upheld the removal, citing violations of community guidelines. A subsequent video in which she debated Turkish politician Doğu Perinçek, who denies Uyghur rights abuses, also went viral on other platforms but was deleted from TikTok without explanation.
TikTok Denies Censorship Allegations
TikTok has rejected claims of censorship. Nicholas Smith, a representative from TikTok's Communications team, told VOA: "It's inaccurate to suggest that TikTok censors content related to the alleged Uyghur genocide and broader human rights violations in China. If you search for Uyghur content on TikTok, you will find many videos where people freely post and share their views."
Smith pointed to TikTok's Community Guidelines and Transparency Center for further information.
International Condemnation of China's Actions
The US and UN have both condemned China's treatment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang. In January 2021, the US officially designated China's actions—mass arbitrary detention, forced labour, sterilizations, and cultural repression—as genocide and crimes against humanity. A 2022 UN report echoed these concerns, citing widespread evidence of torture, sexual violence, and severe restrictions on religious and cultural practices.
China denies these accusations, claiming its policies in Xinjiang aim to counter-terrorism and separatism. However, a 2023 report by the U.S.-based Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) found that TikTok suppresses politically sensitive content, including terms related to Uyghurs, Tibet, and Taiwan, showing lower engagement metrics compared to other platforms like YouTube and Instagram.
Calls for Ethical Sponsorship
Uyghur scholar Rizwangul NurMuhammad, a doctoral candidate at the University of Sheffield, urged Muslim Women's Network UK to reconsider its sponsorship agreement with TikTok, warning that it risks further marginalizing Uyghurs.
In a letter to the network's chief executive, Shaista Gohir, NurMuhammad wrote, "By focusing solely on amplifying selected voices while excluding those of Uyghurs, the network risks further marginalizing an already vulnerable community."
She also called for alternative sponsorship options, emphasizing that many Uyghurs in exile, including herself, are forcibly separated from their families, with no answers about their whereabouts.
Muslim Women's Network UK Responds
In a statement, Gohir acknowledged the "pain and hardship" of Uyghurs and the "systematic erasure of their Islamic identity," calling it a "grave human rights issue." However, she defended TikTok's involvement, arguing that the platform provides a space for marginalized Muslims to share their experiences and raise awareness of discrimination.
"Muslim Heritage Month is designed to celebrate the rich and diverse contributions of Muslims in the UK and to create a space for engagement, empowerment, and visibility," she said.
She also suggested that the event could foster broader conversations on freedom of expression, including the challenges faced by marginalized Muslim communities worldwide.
