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:
China using spies to keep Muslim Uyghurs from fasting during Ramadan
Chinese police are using spies to make sure that Uyghur Muslims are not fasting during the holy month of Ramadan – including members of their own ethnic group, according to a police insider.
Holding out hope for a ‘spring’ free from China’s repression
While spring has arrived in parts of the world, many Uyghurs are still waiting for their spring to arrive, the main sentiment expressed in a new collection by writers with connections to Xinjiang.
European Commission chief’s comments on Uyghurs fall short of expectations
European Commission President discussed human rights issues with China’s Xi Jinping during a high-level meeting in Beijing, a topic usually avoided by European leaders when they visit the Chinese capital for talks.
Demolition of Kashgar’s Khan Bazaar creates uncertain future for Uyghur shop owners
Kashgar’s centuries-old Khan Bazaar, is being demolished by Chinese authorities. Authorities in China’s Xinjiang region say they want to upgrade the area and replace dilapidated structures.
Fashion show at EU's Parliament draws attention to forced labor in apparel industry
The fashion show came as members of the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union gathered to discuss and agree on a proposal to ban products made with forced labor.
As Ramadan begins, China's Muslims face fasting bans, monitoring and arrest
As Muslims around the world prepare to begin the holy month of Ramadan, Uyghur children are being quizzed by the authorities over whether their parents are fasting or not, local officials and rights groups say.
Uyghur propaganda chief confirmed dead 5 days after being released from jail
A former Uyghur propaganda chief who was imprisoned on separatism charges despite being a mouthpiece for Beijing has died at age 57, according to a Xinjiang official.
Nearly $500 million in US imports blocked due to Uyghur forced labor
The acting head of the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol said it has already blocked nearly $500 million worth of imports this year because it was made “wholly or in part” by Uyghur forced labor.
UN human rights chief: China has arbitrarily detained Uyghurs, separated families
The U.N.’s new human right chief said his agency has documented China’s arbitrary detention of Uyghurs and the separation of children from their families, as part of a global update on human rights.
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.
Uyghur woman serving 21 years in jail for sending children to religious school
Twenty years ago, when a Uyghur woman sent her three children to a local religious school, little did she know that her action would later land her in prison for 21 years in prison.
Pakistan threatens to send Uyghur refugee families back to China
Police and intelligence officers showed up the home of a Uyghur refugee in Pakistan to warn him that he and his family would be repatriated to China if their U.N.-issued refugee cards weren’t renewed.
NGOs demand better conditions for detainees in Thailand after Uyghur man’s death
Human rights advocates are calling on Thai immigration authorities to improve conditions for dozens of Uyghurs in custody after a Uyghur detainee fell ill and died at a police hospital in Bangkok.
Quizzed at UN, Chinese delegates deny rights abuses against Uyghurs, Tibetans
Under intense questioning by UN experts over two days, a delegation of Chinese officials staunchly denied any human rights violations against Uyghur and Tibetan minorities.
New search tool helps Uyghurs discover fate of missing loved ones in China
A new tool allows anyone to search the Xinjiang Police Files for their missing family members, and find out their detention status, reasons for detention and prison sentences.
Xinjiang state security police detain outspoken ethnic Kazakh musician
Authorities in Xinjiang have detained an outspoken ethnic Kazakh musician, weeks after a Kazakhstan-based rights group warned that she was at risk of being hauled off to a psychiatric facility.
With threats and intimidation, China coerces Uyghurs in Turkey to spy on each other
More than six years into China’s campaign to eradicate independent Uyghur society at home, Uyghurs in Turkey experience lengths the Chinese authorities go to keep tabs on ordinary Uyghurs abroad.
Uyghur member of ‘propaganda vanguard’ confirmed detained in China’s Xinjiang
Authorities in Xinjiang have given a 20-year jail sentence to a Uyghur woman who at one time staunchly supported China’s anti-extremism campaign targeting the mostly Muslim ethnic group in the region.
US-based Uyghur man calls on China to release his 19-year-old sister
A Uyghur man working in the United States has called on Chinese authorities in Xinjiang to release his sister, who was detained after posting video about the recent 'white paper' protests across China.
Rights groups consider legal steps in case of Uyghurs facing deportation in Malta
The European Court of Human Rights ordered the country to halt the forcible deportation of two Muslim Chinese asylum-seekers of Uyghur ethnicity whose legal applications were denied.