Memet Réhim and Memet Sidiq

Memet Réhim and Memet Sidiq

Sentence: Detained in 2011 on suspicion of distributing “illegal religious materials”; current whereabouts or status are unknown.

According to Radio Free Asia (RFA), state security officers in Shihezi municipality, East Turkestan, detained father-and-son religious leaders Memet Réhim and Memet Sidiq on suspicion of distributing “illegal religious materials.” RFA does not report the precise date of detention, but it appears to have occurred in or around March 2011.

The “illegal religious materials” in question reportedly were electronic Qurans made in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, which the father and son had stored in their home and given to acquaintances as gifts.

RFA did not report the men’s current whereabouts or status. A state security officer confirmed the detentions to RFA but provided no details. Authorities also reportedly denied family members’ request for information on the men’s status.

Sources:

Radio Free Asia (RFA), Shixenzide éléktronluq quran tarqatqan dada-Bala diniy zatlar tutqun qilinghan, 29 March 2011, available at:  http://www.rfa.org/uyghur/xewerler/qisqa_xewerler/elektronluq-quran-03292011185238.html?encoding=latin

U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China, Entry for “Memet Réhim” in Political Prisoner Database (CECC Record Number:  2011-00405), available at: http://ppd.cecc.gov/QueryResultsDetail.aspx?PrisonerNum=8900

U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China, Entry for “Memet Sidiq” in Political Prisoner Database (CECC Record Number:  2011-00406), available at: http://ppd.cecc.gov/QueryResultsDetail.aspx?PrisonerNum=8899

[Last updated: October 2019]