Calls for Uygher Scholar’s Release on 10th Anniversary of Imprisonment

On Monday, September 23, the European Union and human rights groups renewed calls for the release of Ilham Tohti, a prominent Uyghur scholar sentenced to life in prison in 2014 on separatism charges, RFA reported yesterday.

Tohti, now 54, advocated for dialogue between Uyghurs and Han Chinese and greater autonomy for Xinjiang’s Uyghur population.

His arrest on January 15, 2014, followed accusations of promoting Uyghur independence, leading to a two-day trial deemed a “show trial.” Since then, Tohti has received international accolades, including the Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize and nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Despite his imprisonment, the EU highlighted Tohti’s case as emblematic of the ongoing human rights abuses in Xinjiang. Amnesty International’s Agnes Callamard criticized the international community’s inaction, emphasizing that Tohti’s ongoing detention underscores the urgent need for intervention.

Tragically, Tohti was not informed of his mother’s death in early 2022, highlighting the personal toll of his imprisonment.