Turkey Closes Uyghur School In Istanbul After The Chinese Government Complains
Authorities in Istanbul, Turkey closed an Uyghur elementary school allegedly at the request of the Chinese government.
Chinese officials worried students were receiving anti-China instruction there, the school’s principal and parents of students said.
The Hira Uyghur Elementary School’s doors were closed Feb. 21 and more than 300 students were barred from entering.
The school was opened in 2015 by Uyghurs from western China’s Xinjiang region with permission from the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of National Education.
It is located in a district of Istanbul where many Uyghurs have settled, some fleeing widespread persecution in Xinjiang.
It taught students Uyghur, English and Turkish languages, other subjects and vocational skills.