On July 30, prosecutors announced online that Ilham Tohti, a professor at Central Minorities University in Beijing, had been formally charged with separatism, a crime which carries a potential death penalty. Tohti, an economics professor of economics and advocate for the rights of the Chinese Uighur minority, was arrested on January 15, 2014 and held incommunicado until late June.
Tohti’s lawyers met with him in early August, and say he is adamant that he did not advocate separatism, according to an August 6 article in the New York Times. CCS urges President Xi Jinping to investigate the case and withdraw charges that are unwarranted.
Related articles
- China: Baseless Charge Against Uighur Scholar (hrw.org)
- China charges Uighur scholar Ilham Tohti with separatism (theguardian.com)
- Ilham Tohti page on Scholars at Risk (monitoring.academicfreedom.info) (page down)
- Lawyer For Uyghur Scholar Denied Evidence Ahead of Trial (rfa.org)
President Xi Jinping
The State Council General Office 2
Fuyoujie, Xichengqu
Beijingshi 100017
People’s Republic of ChinaAugust 7, 2014
Your Excellency:
We write now in grave concern for Professor Ilham Tohti.On July 30, prosecutors announced online that Tohti has been formally charged with separatism, a crime which carries a potential death penalty. Tohti, a professor of economics at the Central Minorities University in Beijing and an advocate for the rights of the Chinese Uighur minority, was arrested on January 15, 2014 and held incommunicado until late June. We understand that Tohti has been allowed access to legal counsel and plans to fight the charges brought against him.
According to a June 26 article in the New York Times, Li Fangping, one of his lawyers, said that Tohti is adamant that he did not advocate separatism, as alleged. Tohti has consistently claimed that he peacefully advocated change in Xinjiang province and is quoted in the article as “hoping that the interests of the Uighur ethnic minorities and the Han majority could be reconciled.” His view is consistent with the Chinese governments’ statement in China’s Universal Periodic Review of 2013 that “it attached great importance to developing the cause of human rights for ethnic minorities.”
We have previously written to Chinese authorities to protest restrictions on Tohti’s travel to the United States, where he was invited as a visiting scholar to Indiana University, as well as brutality during his arrest and harassment of his family. These actions appear to indicate that Tohti was arrested as a result of scholarly and nonviolent expressive activity, conduct that is expressly protected under international human rights instruments including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which China is a signatory.
We therefore respectfully urge you to investigate the circumstances of this case and to ensure the withdrawal of any charges that are unwarranted. Please also assure that Tohti’s case proceeds in a manner consistent with China’s obligations under international law, in particular internationally recognized standards of due process, fair trial, free expression and freedom of association. We also urge you, pending his release, to ensure Tohti’s well being in custody, including disclosure of his current location and access to counsel and family.
Sincerely,
Joel L. Lebowitz, Paul H. Plotz, Walter Reich,
Eugene M. Chudnovsky, Alexander GreerCo-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists
Copies to:
The Honorable John F. Kerry
Secretary of State of the US
Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520H.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.cnH.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.cnThe Honorable Max S. 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
Our Previous Activities
- Advocate for Uighur Minority in China Arrested, Taken to Undisclosed Location (concernedscientists.org)
- Jailed Uyghur Professor’s Family in Beijing Is Harassed by Police, Daughter Testifies (concernedscientists.org)