On Sunday, the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) held a demonstration on occasion of the opening of the CEBIT computer fair in Hanover – and appealed to the Internet industry to advocate for more Internet freedom in China. "Instead of kowtowing to China's state and party leaders, Internet companies such as Facebook and others should reflect their own ethical principles and try to contribute to Internet freedom all over the world," demanded the STP's China-expert, Ulrich Delius. "Today, the frontal attack of China's censors against global Internet freedom concerns the human rights situation in China – but this will also lead to more restrictions in Europe in a longer run."

The STP drew attention to the massive violation of internet freedom in China (especially in the region of Xinjiang / East Turkestan, which is mostly inhabited by Uyghurs) with large format portraits of imprisoned bloggers and website moderators. Under the motto "Sesam öffne Dich, China öffne Dich für Menschenrechte!" (Open sesame! China, open up for human rights!") the demonstrators – among them also Uyghur living in Germany – appealed to Jack Ma, founder of China's IT group Alibaba, to advocate for more Internet freedom in China. The STP also showed hollowed computer screens with censorship messages, as a form of criticism against the tightened Internet censorship measures in China during the last few months.

"Internet censorship is undermining free expression and exchange of information both on the Internet and in social media platforms, especially in Xinjiang/East Turkestan and Tibet," said Delius. Uyghurs and Tibetans are criminalized systematically, if they even try to communicate via the Internet and discuss the human rights situation or send information and photos of human rights violations abroad via mobile phones.

Ma Kai, China's vice-premier, who took part in the opening ceremony of the CEBIT, had contributed to repressive apparatus in China as the former deputy chairman of the "Tibet Work Leading Group". He also played an important role in the economic development of Tibet and Xinjiang. "However, economic development without rights for the local people is not a solution to the conflict – it only leads to more human rights violations."