The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on the Chinese government to release more than two dozen Uyghur teachers at a college in Xinjiang who have been serving jail terms since 2017.
Their newly-confirmed arrests occurred at a time when Chinese authorities were rounding up Uyghur intellectuals, educators, businesspeople and cultural figures and placing them in “re-education.” One teacher was reportedly sentenced to 17 years in prison for his research, writings and views that Uyghurs are part of the Turkic world.
In a statement, CAIR said:
“We call on the Chinese Communist Party to immediately release these and all other Uyghur prisoners jailed for their academic activity and personal or religious beliefs. Peaceful academic and religious activities should never result in prison sentences.”
Earlier this month, CAIR condemned discriminatory travel restrictions the Chinese government has imposed on Uyghur Muslims from its Xinjiang region.
Last month, CAIR condemned the reported sentencing of a Uyghur Muslim woman in China to 17 years in prison for teaching her children and a neighbor verses from the Quran, Islam’s revealed text.
CAIR recently welcomed new trade restrictions on two Chinese firms, including one accused of enabling human rights violations through surveillance of Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic and religious minorities in China.
In November, CAIR welcomed the addition of 29 Chinese companies to the list of entities using forced labor involving Uyghur minorities.
Also in November, CAIR welcomed a ban on the entry to the United States of products produced by Esquel Group, one of the world’s largest textile and apparel companies, over allegations it uses forced Uyghur labor.
In October, CAIR welcomed DHS banning two Chinese companies over their reported use of Uyghur slave labor.
CAIR has previously welcomed the banning of Chinese companies using slave labor.
SEE: CAIR Welcomes US Ban on Imports from 5 Chinese Companies Over Uyghur Forced Labor
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com