Uyghur conflict in China threatens to escalate further!

The Society for Threatened Peoples (STP), accuses China's judicial authorities of wrongfully trying to silence Ilham Tohti, an Uyghur human rights activist and professor of economics. "This is an attempt to silence one of the most insistent critics of China's nationality-policy – based on fake 'evidence' and on outrageous accusations," said the STP's Asia-consultant, Ulrich Delius, in Göttingen on Tuesday. "The trial is ridiculous – but the consequences will be dramatic. This is a clear rejection of any dialogue with the moderate Uyghurs. The deliberate attempt to criminalize Professor Tohti is an affront against all Uyghurs – a call for more violence instead of a dialogue!"

On Wednesday, the proceedings against the former professor of economics at the Mizu University in Beijing will be opened in Urumchi. The authorities are accusing Tohti of "separatism", so he might even be facing the death penalty. If the court finds him guilty of "incitement to separatism", he will have to expect a prison sentence of five to fifteen years. The respected professor was arrested in January 2014 (together with seven of his students), following six-months of investigations by the authorities. Despite massive intimidation and threats from the authorities, Tohti had always promoted a dialogue between the Uyghurs and the Han Chinese majority – and had initiated several several websites in Chinese language to inform the Han Chinese about the background of the uprising of the Muslim community.

"There are no indications that China's judicial authorities will allow a fair trial," Delius said. In detention, Tohti had suffered from inhumane and degrading treatment. The guards had abused him and encouraged other inmates in his cell to humiliate him. When he resisted, he had been chained at hands and feet for weeks as a form of punishment. His wife was denied to visit him in prison.

"The allegations raised by the prosecutor's office are absurd. Tohti never questioned China's sovereignty in Xinjiang / East Turkestan. Among leading Uyghur intellectuals, there will hardly be any more moderate voices than his," said Delius. "Tohti is to be seen as a bridge-builder between the warring cultures – and his dedication is more important in China today than ever before, in order to prevent further violence. Now, the Chinese authorities are trying to silence him at any price, as his criticism against China's nationality-policy had caught the attention of a lot of foreign journalists and diplomats."

Ulrich Delius, head of STP's Asia department, is available for further questions: 0551 49906 27 oder asien@gfbv.de.

Header Photo: South China Morning Post for PEN American Center/Flickr