China's Uyghur crackdown leaves intellectuals missing, refugees at risk of forced return

The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) has raised fresh concerns over the fate of Uyghurs who have disappeared into what it described as a vast system of internment camps, prisons and other forms of arbitrary detention across East Turkistan since 2017.

The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) has raised fresh concerns over the fate of Uyghurs who have disappeared into what it described as a vast system of internment camps, prisons and other forms of arbitrary detention across East Turkistan since 2017. In a post shared on X, the WUC stated that the Uyghur intellectuals, academics, writers, artists, religious figures and other prominent members of society have been among those targeted in the crackdown. Many, it said, have been cut off from their families for years, with little or no reliable information available about their health, treatment or conditions of detention.

According to the organisation, some detainees have eventually been released with severe physical and psychological health problems, while others have been formally imprisoned on what it described as politically motivated charges and handed lengthy prison sentences, including life imprisonment. The WUC also pointed to reports of deaths in detention and shortly after release, adding to concerns over the treatment of Uyghurs held by Chinese authorities.

It highlighted the cases of internationally recognised Uyghur intellectuals and cultural figures, including Rahile Dawut, Ilham Tohti, Tashpolat Tiyip, Yalqun Rozi and Dr Abdukerim Rahman. The organisation further said serious international concerns had been raised over allegations of forced organ harvesting involving Uyghurs in detention, calling for greater scrutiny of the treatment of detainees.

The WUC also expressed concern over 40 Uyghur refugees who were forcibly deported from Thailand to China in February 2025. It said there was still no transparent information about their current whereabouts or condition. The case, according to the organisation, highlights the importance of the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits governments from returning individuals to countries where they face a serious risk of persecution or other grave human rights abuses.

The WUC urged governments not to forcibly return Uyghurs to China, warning that deportation could expose them to arbitrary detention, torture and enforced disappearance. (ANI)