Press Release- For immediate release
18 September, 2021
Contact: World Uyghur Congress www.uyghurcongress.org
0049 (0) 89 5432 1999 or [email protected]

The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) regrets that the Turkish authorities refused entry into Turkish soil to WUC President, Dolkun Isa, despite the recent decision from the Ankara Administrative Court lifting the ban. 

‘’I am deeply disheartened to see that the Turkish authorities are still refusing me entry, despite my ban being lifted by the Ankara Administrative Court. I have once again been unjustly denied entry by the Turkish authorities for something I have never done.”

On June 8, the Ankara Administrative Court heard a case on whether to lift an entry ban for WUC President Dolkun Isa. On September 1, the same Court delivered its judgement lifting the travel ban imposed on Mr. Isa. The decision was also accepted by the Immigration authorities. Despite this, Mr. Isa was returned to Germany. 

After fleeing China, Mr. Isa first studied in Turkey from 1994-1996 for his Turkish language course and his master’s degree in political science. In 1996, he was granted political asylum in Germany. In August 2008, he was denied entry at Antalya airport and sent back to Germany, after 23 hours of detention. The same situation occurred again on October 11, 2016. Since then, Mr. Isa has appealed his case, which was rejected by the General Directorate of Migration Management of Turkey. Since 2008, Mr. Isa has been denied entry to Turkey on allegations of threats against national security.

Mr. Isa’s Red Notice issued by INTERPOL at the request of the Chinese government in 1997 was only lifted in 2018, with the work of Fair Trial, civil society and diplomatic pressure. The notice prevented Mr. Isa from traveling to several countries, and has led to his detention in other places. Mr. Isa has been falsely accused of posing threats against national security in Turkey.

The WUC reiterates once again that Turkey and the international community diligently scrutinize political requests sent by the Chinese government instead of accepting them without any due process of law or evidence. As a candidate country to the European Union, Turkey must respect its own judicial courts, as well as universal fundamental rights, such as due process, and the right to movement.