Uyghur Linguist’s Whereabouts Unknown Since Arrest for Attempt to Teach Language

Abduweli Ayup, an Uyghur linguist and graduate of University of Kansas, hoped to open a kindergarten to promote education in Uyghurs native language. When he and his associates attempted to raise funds for this venture, they were arrested for “illegally fundraising.” Relatives of Ayup have no information as to his whereabouts, even though they heard reports that he is in poor health in jail and have attempted to provide him with medical care.

CCS urges Chinese authorities to remedy this situation.

President Xi Jinping
The State Council General Office 2
2 Fuyoujie, Xichengqu
Beijingshi 100017
People’s Republic of China

June 5, 2014

Your Excellency:

We write now in concern for Abduweli Ayup, an imprisoned linguist and educator, who was arrested on August 20, 2013.

Ayup is a Uyghur linguist, who completed his studies at the University of Kansas in 2011. He then returned to Xinjiang, China, hoping to establishe a Uyghur Language school, so that Uyghur students would have the opportunity to develop academic proficiency in their native language as well as in Chinese. He was preparing to open a Uyghur language kindergarten when on August of 2013, he was arrested together with his two business partners and accused of “illegally fundraising” to finance the new school. Ayup and his associates have not been accused of violent action or advocacy.

Neither Ayup or his two associates, Dilyar Obul and Muhammedt Sidik, have been heard from since. The police has not allowed lawyers or family members to visit the detainees or to find out their whereabouts. A relative who made contact with the authorities in December of 2013 told Radio Free Asia that Ayup had become seriously ill in jail. However, attempts by Ayup’s relatives to provide medication or medical care where denied by the authorities they contacted. Prosecutors’ offices in Kashagar and Urunqi declined comments, as did the Public Security Bureau. Reports mentioned that Ayup and his associates would be tried in January,of 2014, but no information about the trials was provided.

We urge you to investigate this case and immediately inform the family of Ayup and his associates of the whereabouts of the detainees, as well as allow them access to family, counsel and medical care. We respectfully request that this case proceed in a manner consistent with China’s obligations under international law, in particular due process, fair trial, free expression and freedom of association guaranteed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which China is a signatory. In China’s Periodic Review (October 2013), your government stated that “it attached great importance to developing the cause of human rights for ethnic minorities.”

Sincerely,

Joel L. Lebowitz, Paul H. Plotz, Walter Reich,
Eugene M. Chudnovsky, Alexander Greer

Co-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists

Copies to:

H.E. Mr. Wang Yi
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China
No. 2, Chaoyangmen Nandajie, Chaoyang District,
Beijing, 100701 People’s Republic of China
Email: webmaster@mfa.gov.cn

H.E. Mr. Cui Tiankai
Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the United States
Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United States
3505 International Place NW
Washington, DC 20008 USA
Fax: +1 (202) 495-2138
Email: chinaembassy_us@fmprc.gov.cn

The Honorable Max Baucus
United States Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China
United States Embassy of Beijing, China
No. 55 An Jia Lou Lu 100600
People’s Republic of China
Fax: (86-10) 8531-4200

The Hon. Tom Malinowski
Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
US Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520

Honorable Navanethem Pillay
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Palais des Nations, CH-1211
Geneva 10, Switzerland

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