Uyghur, Ukrainian groups file criminal complaint in Spain against Chinese tech firms

Munich [Germany] November 14 (ANI): The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) and the Ukrainian civic group Don't Fund the Russian Army (DFRA) have submitted a criminal complaint to Spain's National Court against Huawei Technologies, Hikvision Digital Technology, Zhejiang Dahua Technology, and their subsidiaries in Spain.

Collaborating with a law firm in Barcelona, they have requested that Spanish authorities investigate potential corporate involvement in serious international crimes under the principle of universal jurisdiction, as stated in a release by the World Uyghur Congress (WUC).

"Initiating this case in Spain is an essential measure to ensure that corporate participation in atrocities is not left unanswered," remarked Turgunjan Alawdun, President of WUC. "We call on the Spanish judiciary to uphold universal legal standards and to address these allegations with the necessary seriousness," according to the WUC release.

The accusations against Huawei, Hikvision, and Dahua include the use of technologies in East Turkistan, specifically in so-called 're-education centres,' to facilitate biometric surveillance and ethnic profiling of Uyghurs.

The complaint cites Spain's Criminal Code and calls for an investigation into crimes against humanity. It also argues that corporate penalties under Spanish law could involve substantial fines related to profits, and in the most serious cases, corporate dissolution if justified. In this regard, the complainants are requesting the court to seek expert opinions from relevant state agencies and to summon representatives from the Spanish branches of Huawei, Hikvision, and Dahua for questioning, as mentioned in the WUC release.

This legal action follows a complaint filed by the WUC in France in September 2025. Collectively, these cases are based on research indicating that equipment from Hikvision and Dahua has been employed not only in the mass surveillance of Uyghurs but has also appeared in systems in Ukraine that have been utilised during Russian assaults, including for real-time artillery adjustments.

"Technologies branded as 'security' have turned into instruments of oppression and warfare," stated Olga Matseliukh, Director of DFRA. "European institutions and businesses must acknowledge that cybersecurity and corporate ethics are inseparable," as noted in the WUC release. (ANI)

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