All Reading
This section contains a curated list of useful articles, investigations, books and other reading materials. The list is updated on a weekly basis and suggestions for additions are welcome.
Starting Points:
Uyghur scholar’s prison guard gets 7 years for revealing ‘secrets’
The Uyghur prison guard was sentenced to seven years in jail for divulging information about the condition of prominent Uyghur political prisoner Ilham Tohti.
World leaders must act to end decade of injustice for jailed Uyghur academic
The international community must take concrete steps to help secure the release of Ilham Tohti, Amnesty said ahead of the 10-year-anniversary of his conviction on baseless charges of “separatism”.
Urgent Appeal for the Immediate Release of Ilham Tohti
Ilham Tohti, a renowned Uyghur intellectual, has spent a decade unjustly imprisoned for his peaceful advocacy. His calls for understanding and dialogue between Uyghurs and Han Chinese were met with a life sentence on baseless charges of “separatism”.
Uyghur entrepreneur serving 18 years for charitable contributions
Elijan Ismail was sentenced for “inciting separatism” because the recipients of his donations included families of political prisoners.
Uyghur Race as the Enemy: China’s Legalized Authoritarian Oppression & Mass Imprisonment
This report explores how China’s systematic, large-scale imprisonment of Uyghurs not only amounts to a crime against humanity, but also dangerous lawfare at mass scale.
Former Uyghur official confirmed serving jail sentence for ‘two-faced’ actions
Having appealed to Chinese soldiers not to shoot two Uyghur officials during a violent incident in Xinjiang a decade ago, Ahat Sayit was arrested in 2017 and later sentenced to 20 years.
Uyghur publisher jailed for books on Uyghur independence, identity
Believed detained for publishing books about Uyghur cultural identity, Erkin Emet was sentenced to prison in 2018; his whereabouts and the length of his sentence is unknown.
Uyghur imam, 96, dies in prison
Sentenced to nine years in prison in 2017, the religious leader died in prison, and authorities did not turn his body over to his family, his granddaughter told Radio Free Asia.
Jailed Uyghur academic Ilham Tohti nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
Citing his role as “the true symbol of the Uyghur people's fight for freedom” under Chinese rule in Xinjiang, more than 180 high-level officials and experts have nominated Ilham Tohti to receive the prize.
Uyghur educator, poet confirmed to have died in prison in Xinjiang
The body of a Uyghur educator, researcher and poet who died in prison in Xinjiang in late August was taken by authorities directly to a cemetery for burial instead of first being returned to his family.
Remembering enforced disappearance victims in Asia
What do a prize-winning rural development expert from Laos, two Tibetan sisters, a Uyghur anthropologist and a Burmese monk have in common? They are all victims of enforced disappearance, with their whereabouts unknown.
New details about Uyghur law school student’s suicide come to light
Police files reveal the 22-year-old was distraught over the detention of her father, a Chinese Communist party cadre and member of the village’s People’s Congress, for “threatening national security.”
Uyghur teacher confirmed detained in Xinjiang for work on literature textbooks
A middle-school teacher is serving a 19-year prison sentence, likely for his participation in the writing of Uyghur textbooks two decades ago, despite them being approved by Chinese authorities.
The Complicity of Heritage: Cultural Heritage and Genocide in the Uyghur Region
This report highlights how China’s actions constitute what UNESCO calls “strategic cultural cleansing”, through systematic destruction of cultural heritage and targeting people on the basis of their ethnic affiliation.
Renowned Uyghur poet dies following prison release in Xinjiang
A renowned Uyghur writer and poet in poor health when released from prison died on Dec. 18 because he could not obtain food or medical treatment amid a strict coronavirus lockdown, according to local information.
Uyghur nutritionist confirmed detained in China’s Xinjiang
Authorities in China’s far-western Xinjiang region have detained a well-known Uyghur nutritionist for messages he posted on social media, according to police reports.
UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detentions Publishes Opinion on Uyghur Writer
On December 20th, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detentions (WGAD) announced its opinion on renowned Uyghur writer Yalqun Rozi, who was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment in 2016.
The Backstreets - A Novel From Xinjiang
The Backstreets is an astonishing novel by a preeminent contemporary Uyghur author. A translator’s introduction situates the novel in the political atmosphere that led to the disappearance of both the author and his work by the Chinese state.
Uyghur who studied in Turkey arrested by police in Xinjiang, sources say
A Uyghur scholar who studied in Turkey and worked for an international company in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou was arrested by authorities from his hometown Urumqi, a local police officer and Uyghurs with knowledge of the situation said.
Uyghur poet and educator said to be serving 13-year prison term in Xinjiang
A prominent Uyghur poet and associate professor at a was detained as a “threat to social stability” and sentenced to 13 years in prison in 2017 on a “separatism” charge, a local police officer told RFA.