Presumed Released

Detained in December 2009 for trying to organize a demonstration; charges against them – if any – unknown.

According to Radio Free Asia (RFA), public security officers in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, detained seven Uyghurs, including a woman named Patigul and man named Mahmut Sabir, on 25 December 2009, as they tried to apply to the government to hold a demonstration.

The group reportedly consisted of family members of people held in detention in connection to demonstrations and riots in Urumqi in July 2009, and the group planned to demonstrate before a court to express their discontent with the handling of cases related to the July 2009 events, including death sentences that had been handed down.

Four of the seven people detained were last known to be held within Tianshan district, Urumqi, while the whereabouts of the other three were unknown.

Further information, including information on their release dates, is not available.

Sources:

Radio Free Asia (RFA), Ürümchide namayishqa iltimas sunghan 7 uyghur tutqun qilinghan, 29 December 09, available at: http://www.rfamobile.org/uyghur/xewerler/qisqa_xewerler/urumchide-yengi-tutqun-12292009180012.html?encoding=latin

U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China, Entry for “Patigul” in Political Prisoner Database (CECC Record Number:  2010-00367), available at: http://ppd.cecc.gov/QueryResultsDetail.aspx?PrisonerNum=8080

U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China, Entry for “Mahmut Sabir” in Political Prisoner Database (CECC Record Number:  2010-00368), available at: http://ppd.cecc.gov/QueryResultsDetail.aspx?PrisonerNum=8081