The Ukrainian organization Don’t Fund Russian Army (DFRA), together with the World Uyghur Congress (WUC), has filed an official complaint with Spain’s National Court (Audiencia Nacional) against three Chinese companies — Huawei Technologies, Hikvision Digital Technology, and Zhejiang Dahua Technology, as well as their subsidiaries in Spain.
The complaint was prepared in cooperation with the law firm Soriano i Piqueras Abogados. The document is based on the principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows Spain to consider cases of genocide and crimes against humanity regardless of where they were committed.
According to the complaint, the companies are accused of:
- Complicity with a terrorist organization (Article 577.1.II of the Spanish Criminal Code) — punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to €5.25 million;
- Crimes against humanity (Article 607 bis) — punishable by up to 30 years in prison.
Huawei, Hikvision, and Dahua technologies were used in the “re-education centers” in Xinjiang for biometric surveillance, ethnic profiling, and the forced assimilation of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities. Facial recognition systems and automated data analysis tools helped identify people by ethnic characteristics and transmit this data to the police.
Since the consequences of these technologies extend far beyond China, co-plaintiff DFRA reported documented cases of their use during Russian attacks on Ukraine.
Hacked Hikvision and Dahua cameras were used to adjust artillery strikes in real time. Such devices pose a serious cybersecurity threat — not only to Ukraine but to all of Europe.
“When technology crosses ethical boundaries, it stops being a tool of protection and becomes a threat,” emphasized DFRA director Olha Matseliukh. “European states need to view cybersecurity and corporate responsibility as a single framework that defines the safety of society.”
Additionally, in September 2025, the World Uyghur Congress, with the support of DFRA and the French law firm Bourdon & Associés, filed a similar complaint in France.
What may seem like a local issue in Xinjiang or during attacks on Ukraine now directly concerns Europe’s security. And this lawsuit is a step toward ensuring that large corporations are held accountable for the use of their technologies against people.
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