Amnesty International Calls for Release of Imprisoned Uyghur Activist Ilham Tohti

Amnesty International has urged Chinese authorities to release Uyghur activist Ilham Tohti, who has been unjustly imprisoned and subjected to torture for his peaceful advocacy. Tohti has sought to foster understanding and dialogue between Uyghurs and Han Chinese but faces a life sentence on baseless charges of separatism.

On Tuesday, an international human rights watchdog urged Chinese authorities to release Ilham Tohti, a prominent Uyghur activist and intellectual, Amnesty International announced in a statement. Tohti, who has been advocating for dialogue and understanding between Uyghurs and Han people in China, has been unlawfully imprisoned and tortured since 2014.

Amnesty International's statement highlighted that attempts to resolve the issues between China and Uyghurs have been met with life sentences on unfounded charges of 'separatism.' The organization stated, 'Ilham Tohti, a renowned Uyghur intellectual, has spent the last ten years unjustly imprisoned for his peaceful advocacy. His relentless calls for understanding and dialogue between Uyghurs and Han Chinese have resulted in a life sentence on baseless charges of 'separatism.''

The statement further elaborated that the charges against Tohti are based on his writings and teachings about systemic discrimination faced by Uyghurs in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. His life sentence, pronounced on September 23, 2014, followed an unfair trial lacking transparency. During his imprisonment, Tohti has reportedly endured torture and ill-treatment, including shackling, prolonged solitary confinement, and denial of adequate medical care. Amnesty International described his imprisonment as egregious, highlighting the broader suppression of non-violent advocacy for human rights.

Tohti's case exemplifies the Chinese government's broader crackdown on Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and other ethnic groups, encompassing mass arbitrary detention, forced assimilation policies, and crimes against humanity, according to the statement. Commending Tohti's efforts, Amnesty International stressed that his approach offered a path towards understanding and peaceful coexistence. They emphasized that his release would be a significant step towards advancing human rights and justice in China, while his continued imprisonment remains a stark reminder of the ongoing human rights crisis affecting Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and other Turkic Muslim groups in China.

(With inputs from agencies.)