The Committee of Concerned Scientists wrote a letter to commend the US Ambassador to China, The Honorable Max Baucus, for taking a position and making a public statement in support of the detained Human Rights attorneys in China. Specifically, he mentioned the two attorneys for whom we have advocated in the past – Wang Yu who was the attorney for Ilham Tohti and Li Heping who was the attorney for ... Continue Reading>>
Ilham Tohti Requesting Legal Counsel for Appeal of His Case
Ilham Tohti has called on his family to engage lawyers and lodge an appeal for him through the Chinese judicial system. Tohti was arrested on July 30, 2014 and charged, after a period of detention, with separatism, which he denies. He was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Tohti was a Professor at Central Minorities University in Beijing. He has been an advocate for the Uighur ... Continue Reading>>
Nephew of Chinese Lawyer and Activist Chen Released from Prison
The nephew of the blind lawyer and activist Chen Guangcheng, who was arrested following his uncle's escape from illegal detention, was released from prison on Wednesday, September 16, 2015. Chen Kegui was released after serving a three-year, three-month sentence that was widely seen as retribution for his uncle's daring escape from house arrest. Chen said in an email from the United States that ... Continue Reading>>
Good News: Beijing Releases Chinese Scholar Who Helped Lawyer-Activist Chen Flee
Guo Yushan, the Chinese scholar who assisted the lawyer and activist Chen Guangcheng flee from illegal detention was released from prison on September 14, 2015, according to his lawyer, Li Jin. Jin said that she did not know why Guo was released or if there was any link to Xi Jinping's United States visit. Related articles Beijing releases activist on eve of Chinese president's visit to US ... Continue Reading>>
CCS Joins International Outcry
At Life Sentence for Ilham Tohti
After a two-day trial closed to the public, Professor Ilham Tohti, an advocate for China’s Uighur minority, was sentenced to life in prison for “separatism,” a charge he denies. In addition, the court ordered all of his assets confiscated, leaving his family in severe economic distress. The trial appears to have denied him an opportunity for proper defense, according to his lawyers, and to be ... Continue Reading>>
Ilham Tohti, Arrested in January
Now Charged with Separatism
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 ... Continue Reading>>
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 ... Continue Reading>>
Jailed Uyghur Professor’s Family in Beijing Is Harassed by Police, Daughter Testifies
The wife of Ilham Tohti, who was arrested and charged with separatism (see our letter), cannot access his bank account since his arrest, Tohti's daughter told the Congressional-Executive Commission on China. Tohti's young children are traumatized by police harassment, she said, especially after witnessing mistreatment of her father. CCS urges authorities to end to restrictions on Tohti's ... Continue Reading>>