On October 24, 2019 the European Union awarded its highest human rights award to Ilham Tohti - The 2019 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. Tohti advocated greater autonomy for the Uyghurs of Xinjiang and was sentenced to life in prison in 2014 on “separatism” charges. The President of the European Parliament noted that since 2017 over 1 million Uyghurs have been detained in internment camps ... Continue Reading>>
Ilham Tohti’s Daughter Pleads for His Release
Jewher Ilham recently pled for her father’s release from prison in China where he has been serving a life sentence, charged with encouraging separatism, when addressing the second annual Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, hosted by the U.S. State Department. Jailed Uighur Scholar's Daughter Pleads for His Freedom ... Continue Reading>>
U.S. Congressmen Have Nominated Economics Professor Ilham Tohti for the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize
Members of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China recommended to the Nobel Peace Prize Committee that the prize for 2019 be awarded to Ilham Tohti, a jailed Uyghur academic for his commitment to peaceful dialogue between members of the Uyghur and Hans Chinese communities. Tohti was sentenced in 2014 to life in prison for "promoting separatism." The lawmakers stated that Tohti knew the ... Continue Reading>>
Li Heping, Attorney for Ilham Tohti, Suffering Medical Complications
It has been communicated to CCS that Li Heping, human rights attorney for Ilham Tohti, now serving time himself for human rights work, allegedly has been tortured and is suffering from medical complications as a result. Additionally, Li is also in need of adequate legal counsel. CCS has requested that he receive appropriate medical care and legal representation of his choosing. February 7, ... Continue Reading>>
Ilham Tohti, Peaceful Advocate for Uighur Community, Wins Martin Ennals Award; also a Finalist for Sakharov Prize
Ilham Tohti, a peaceful advocate of China’s Uighur community, currently serving a life sentence in a Chinese prison, was awarded the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders by a group of human rights organizations; Tohti was also a finalist for the prestigious Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The Sakharov prize is awarded annually by the European Parliament to honor individuals and ... Continue Reading>>
Scholar Ilham Tohti Remains in Prison
Ilham Tohti, an Economics professor formerly at Minzu University in Beijing, and an advocate for the rights of the Chinese Uighur community, still sits in jail, sentenced to a life in prison for expressing his beliefs in a peaceful way. CCS has written again to President Xi Jinping asking him to please investigate this case and release Ilham Tohti as well as the other individuals that are in ... Continue Reading>>
Two Human Rights Lawyers Formally Charged in China
Wang Yu, lawyer for Ilham Tohti, and Li Heping, lawyer for Chen Guangcheng, were detained by Chinese authorities in July 2015. CCS, at that time, wrote a letter requesting their release. They have now been formally arrested with charges that could result in life sentences. January 22, 2016 President Xi Jinping The State Council General’s Office 2 Fuyoujie, Xichengqu Beijingshi ... Continue Reading>>
Letter of Commendation to US Ambassador for Support of Detained Human Rights Attorneys
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>>
A Documentary on Ilham Tohti: His Current Situation and His Work
CCS has been working for the release of Ilham Tohti, formerly a professor at Minzu University in Beijing. He has been involved in attempting to improve the plight of the Uighur population in the People’s Republic of China. He was sentenced to life in prison in September 2014 for advocating for basic economic, cultural, religious and political rights for this population. Watch the documentary on ... 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>>