China cracks down on Uyghurs with Turkish connections
-Activists say, they have documented over 10 recent cases of Uyghurs being detained after they returned to Xinjiang.
OSLO, Norway – Uyghurs who pursued studies abroad, especially in Turkiye are reporting that they are being targeted back in China, leading to widespread worry.
Norway-based Uyghur rights advocate Abduweli Ayup revealed that his organization has documented over 10 recent cases of Uyghurs being detained after they returned to Xinjiang.
Strikingly, all of them had returned from Turkiye.
One of the victims, Nureli Haji, an Uyghur pop singer, and musician, was taken into custody this year in Xinjiang’s capital, Urumqi.
His arrest tragically coincided with his wife’s pregnancy, resulting in the loss of their unborn child.
Similar incidents involving Uyghur musicians who had studied in Turkiye have also been reported.
Haji had avoided affiliations with Uyghur political movements, focusing instead on his study during his stay in Turkiye.
Turkiye has historically provided refuge to Uyghurs fleeing China since the 1950s, fostering a community of around 50,000 individuals who work towards their political aspirations.
Uyghurs started increasingly traveling to Turkiye after a visit by Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Urumqi in 2021. Erdogan was then the prime minister of Turkiye.
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