Prominent Uyghur Historian Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison

Ghojaniyaz Yollugh Tekin, a prominent Uyghur historian and expert on Uyghur place names, is serving a 17-year prison sentence in Hotan, Xinjiang, after being detained in 2017, RFA reported. His sentencing came in late 2018, following his research and writings asserting that Uyghurs are part of the Turkic world, not Chinese.

At 59, Tekin was an educator at the Aksu Education Institute and actively participated in intellectual discussions about Uyghur history. His work, particularly an article on “Turan,” a term referring to a historical region in Central Asia, drew the attention of Chinese authorities and led to harassment and suspension from his teaching position.

Tekin is among an estimated 1.8 million Uyghurs, including intellectuals and cultural figures, who have been subjected to mass detentions under the Chinese government’s crackdown on Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples in Xinjiang. His case highlights the ongoing repression faced by Uyghur scholars and the broader campaign against expressions of Uyghur identity.

Despite claims from the Chinese government that these detentions are for vocational training, testimonies from former detainees reveal severe human rights abuses, including political indoctrination and physical violence. Tekin’s situation underscores the perilous environment for intellectuals advocating for Uyghur history and culture.