Appeals Renew For Release of Uyghur-Language Website Founder Jailed by China

New York: Calls for release of Ekpar Asat, the founder of Uyghur language website Baghdax renewed on his birthday on Tuesday (January 7) as his sister Rayhan E Asat demanded his release from the Chinese jail. Rayhan Asat, a human rights lawyer herself, said that he was facing injustices in Chinese detention camps.

Ekpar Asat is in jail since 2016. He is one of many prominent members of Uyghur Muslim community in China's Xinjiang region. His jailing regularly draws global condemnation.

Rayhan E Asat posted a heartfel message on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). Through her message, she sought to draw attention to her brother's plight. She said that even when a ruling by United Nations had declared the jailing arbitrary, he was not released.

The US Commission on International Religious Freedom has said in past that China detained Ekpar after he returned from a US leadership programme.

The Chinese authorities alleged that he was "inciting ethnic hatred". The details of the trial against Ekpar Hasat have not been officially made public.

Rushan Abbas, chief of World Uyghur Congress Executive Committee demanded release of Ekpar as well. He also described similarities in Ekpar's case and that of his own sister Gulshan Abbas.

"Ekpar's unjust imprisonment reflects the plight of millions of other Uyghurs," Abbas wrote on X.

China regularly draws criticism for what the global community calls systematic suppression of Uyghur culture. China vehemently refutes these allegations but numerous reports of killings, torture and 're-education' efforts belie Chinese claims.

Published on: Tuesday, January 07, 2025, 04:59 PM IST