World Uyghur Congress, 22 May 2018
As part of the WUC’s campaign to highlight the religious persecution of Uyghurs during Ramadan, the WUC will also draw attention to Uyghurs who have been imprisoned for their religious beliefs or for peacefully practicing their religion.
Sentence: Imprisoned since 25 May 2016 for 20 years
Abdusemet Qarihaji (Chinese: Abudusaimaiti Kere’aji), born in 1926 in Yurchi Township of Kelpin County, is a respected Uyghur religious cleric and teacher from Kelpin County who was arrested on May 10th 2016 and sentenced to 20 years imprisonment by the Aksu Prefectural People’s Intermediate Court on May 25th with conducting “illegal religious activities”.[i]
The Aksu Prefectural People’s Intermediate Court specifically charged him with teaching the Koran to children 20 years ago. Other than a 70 year old cousin of Qarihaji, no other family members or legal representatives were allowed to attend the trial and sentencing. Tash Tomurweli, one of the sons of Qarihaji who currently resides in Turkey, told the WUC that his father’s health is very poor. Even before Abdusemet Qarihaji was jailed, he was blind in one eye and has now almost lost sight in the other.
Qarihaji dedicated his life to studying and teaching Islam – a practice that is now either impossible without incredibly strict oversight from the state, or has become illegal outright.
Sources:
[i] Radio Free Asia: Uyghur Religious Leader Jailed, Radio Free Asia, 27 May 2016, Available at: http://www.rfa.org/uyghur/qisqa_xewer/uyghurda-din-05272016171136.html
[last updated: October 2019]
Read More →World Uyghur Congress, 15 June 2018
Over course of the holy month of #Ramadan, the World Uyghur Congress has been highlighting the religious persecution of the Uyghur people and denial of their basic religious rights.We have been focusing on a different element of the repression persecution of Uyghurs for each day of Ramadan.
World Uyghur Congress, 24 April 2018
The World Uyghur Congress submitted a parallel report to be considered ahead of China’s 3rd Cycle Universal Periodic Review in November 2018. The report outlines the most pressing concerns for the Uyghur population in China over the last five years and provides concrete recommendations for China and for the international community.
Read More →Press Release – For immediate release
26 January 2018
Contact: World Uyghur Congress www.uyghurcongress.org
0049 (0) 89 5432 1999 or [email protected]
In light of numerous reports of the disappearance and possible detention of a prominent religious leader and academic in the Uyghur community, Muhammad Salih Hajim, the WUC calls for clarification from the Chinese government about the status and whereabouts of Mr. Hajim. Given the widespread roundup and arbitrary detention of Uyghur academics, religious leaders and prominent figures in the community, the WUC is very concerned that Mr. Hajim may have been arrested or disappeared by the Chinese police.
This section provides an overview on cases of Uyghur political prisoners that are known to the public. However, the real number is likely to be much higher, but due to the restrictions imposed by the Chinese authorities to reveal details on imprisoned Uyghurs, it is impossible to determine the exact number.
For decades, the Chinese government has wrongfully imprisoned Uyghurs for lengthly prison sentences, merely for exercising their freedom of expression, writing articles, peacefully practicing their religion, peacefully protesting, or even for studying abroad. Due to heavy monitoring, restrictions on digital activities and reprisals against individuals or their family members to speak to foreign press or organisations, it is very difficult to get details on the condition and situation of many political prisoners. Even so, the WUC has made this page to document all those wrongfully imprisoned by Chinese authorities and to continue to strive for their release and for justice in their cases.
Jailed Uyghur Professors, Writers, Journalists and Webmasters
Ilham Tohti (life imprisonment)
Tashpolat Tiyip (death sentence)
Gheyret Niyaz (15 years in prison)
Gulmira Imin (life imprisonment) along with another four Uyghur website moderators
Ekbar Eset (unknown)
Memetjan Abdulla (life imprisonment)
Memet Turghun Abdulla (unknown)
Nijat Azat (10 years in prison)
Tursunjan Hezim (7 years in prison)
Tursunjan Muhemmet Marshal (unknown)
Other Uyghur Website Staff Detained after 5 July 2009
Charges Related to Freedom of Speech
Ababekri Ömer (6 years in prison)
Abduhelil Zunun (20 years in prison)
Abdulla Jamal (unknown)
Abdughani Imin and Obulkasim Abliz (13 and 15 years in prison)
Abdukerim Mettersun (unknown)
Ablimit Ghoja’Abdulla (unknown)
Abdurehim Heyit (unknown)
Ekberjan Jamal (10 years in prison)
Halmurat Imin (unknown)
Isa Husen (12 years in prison)
Mamatali Ahat (8 years in prison)
Nurhahmat Yusup (20 years in prison)
Niyaz Kahar (unknown)
Omerjan Hasan (Hesen) (unknown)
Tursunjan Hesen (unknown)
Charges Related to Freedom of Association
Abdukadir Mahsum (15 years in prison)
Miradil Yasin and Mutellip Teyip (unknown)
Musha Yushan (unknown)
Omer Akchi (life imprisonment)
Religious Charges
Abdukerim Abduweli (unknown)
Abdusemet Qarihaji (20 years in prison)
Adil Qarim (life imprisonment)
Akemanjiang (unknown)
Ali Ablat (10 years in prison)
Buzainafu Abudourexiti (7 years in prison)
Ghojaexmet Niyaz (6 years in prison)
Horigul Nasir (10 years in prison)
Imam Sulayman (2 years in prison)
Memet Réhim and Memet Sidiq (unknown)
Merdan Seyitakhun, Qurbanjan Abdusemet and another 10 Uyghur Men (various)
Nurtay Memet (5 years in prison)
Perhatjan (unknown)
Qahar Mensur and Muhemmed Tursun (3 years in prison)
Yusufjan and Memetjan (unknown)
Detained for Studying Abroad
6 Uyghur Students: Kawser, Mewlan, Jawlan, Mudeser, Suriya & Gulshan (5-12 years in prison)
Hebibulla Tohti (10 years in prison)
Memet Abla, 39, his wife Buzorigul Rishit, 36 and their 12-year-old son Hezritieli Memet (unknown)
Unknown Charges
Ehsan Ismail (life imprisonment)
Reeducation Through Labour (RTL)
Sirajidin Eziz, Nurabla Nurmemet, Abla Ablikim, Eli Hapiz, Ahmet Osman, Ablet Abdurehim, and Omer Salih (16-24 months)
Death in Detention
Noor-Ul-Islam Sherbaz (life imprisonment; died in Nov. 2011 following allegations of abuse and torture)
Read More →This section provides an overview on cases of Uyghur political prisoners that are known to the public. However, the real number is likely to be much higher, but due to the restrictions imposed by the Chinese authorities to reveal details on imprisoned Uyghurs, it is impossible to determine the exact number.
For decades, the Chinese government has wrongfully imprisoned Uyghurs for lengthly prison sentences, merely for exercising their freedom of expression, writing articles, peacefully practicing their religion, peacefully protesting, or even for studying abroad. Due to heavy monitoring, restrictions on digital activities and reprisals against individuals or their family members to speak to foreign press or organisations, it is very difficult to get details on the condition and situation of many political prisoners. Even so, the WUC has made this page to document all those wrongfully imprisoned by Chinese authorities and to continue to strive for their release and for justice in their cases.
Jailed Uyghur Professors, Writers, Journalists and Webmasters
Charges Related to Freedom of Speech
Charges Related to Freedom of Association
Religious Charges
Detained for Studying Abroad
Unknown Charges
Reeducation Through Labour (RTL)
Death in Detention
This section provides an overview on cases of Uyghur political prisoners that are known to the public. However, the real number is likely to be much higher, but due to the restrictions imposed by the Chinese authorities to reveal details on imprisoned Uyghurs, it is impossible to determine the exact number.
Jailed Uyghur Professors, Writers, Journalists and Webmasters
Charges Related to Freedom of Speech
Charges Related to Freedom of Association
Religious Charges
Unknown Charges
Reeducation Through Labour (RTL)
Death in Detention