World Uyghur Congress demands release of Uyghur economist Ilham Tohti on 10th anniversary of life imprisonment
- In Reports
- 03:59 PM, Sep 24, 2024
- Myind Staff
On the 10th anniversary of Uyghur economist Ilham Tohti's life imprisonment, the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) reiterated its call for his immediate release. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the WUC expressed solidarity with Tohti’s family, stating: "WUC stands in solidarity with his family and demands his immediate release, along with that of countless Uyghur intellectuals and scholars who remain unjustly detained."
Tohti, a prominent advocate for regional autonomy and founder of Uyghur Online, was sentenced to life in prison by Chinese authorities on charges of separatism. His case has drawn widespread condemnation from human rights organisations. Human Rights Watch has long urged the Chinese government to release him, and the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Mary Lawler, also issued a strong statement, saying: "Today marks 10 years since Uighur HRD Ilham Tohti was cruelly sentenced to life imprisonment in China for his peaceful work to promote the rights of the Uighur minority. I once again call for his immediate release and for China to stop abusing criminal law to target HRDs."
Ilham Tohti’s case is part of a broader crackdown by the Chinese government on Uyghur intellectuals and Muslim minorities, particularly in the Xinjiang region. It is estimated that over one million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities have been detained in what Chinese authorities refer to as "re-education camps." However, testimonies from former detainees describe these facilities as centres of abuse, forced indoctrination, and violations of human rights.
International human rights organisations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have called these actions by China a form of cultural genocide. In a 2021 report, the U.S. State Department labelled the detention of Uyghurs a “crime against humanity.” Global protests continue to demand justice for Uyghurs, urging an end to the mass detentions and the release of figures like Ilham Tohti who have become symbols of the struggle for Uyghur rights.
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