The World Uyghur Congress is concerned for the safety of three Uyghur activists and residents of Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Mohammad Umer Khan, Abdukeyim Shemsidin and Abdugheni were detained by Pakistani security forces on October 17, just two days before the 19th Chinese Communist Party Congress in Beijing. Their whereabouts and condition are unknown.

 

Mr. Khan is a prominent human rights and cultural activist within the Uyghur community in Pakistan. He is a passionate advocate for Uyghur language and cultural preservation.  Mr. Shemsidin is a political analysist who frequently commentates on Uyghur related issues on Radio Free Asia Uyghur. Mr. Abdugheni heads the association of merchants and craftspeople at Rawalpindi’s Chinese products bazaar. All three men are known for their service to the Uyghur community and the larger Pakistani community.

 

This isn’t the first time Pakistani authorities—likely under Chinese influence –have targeted Mr. Khan. He was served with a five-year travel ban before a Pakistani court struck down the unjust ban. Less than a month ago, Pakistani police warned Mr. Khan that his newly developed organization – Umer Uyghur Trust – would be shut down. The three men have not violated any Pakistani law nor do they pose a threat to Pakistan. We are concerned that Pakistan detained these men because of Chinese pressure. 

 

It can’t be a coincidence that these Uyghur community activists were detained within days of China’s 19th Party Congress. For years, as an additional precautionary measure, China has detained Uyghur activists and community leaders in Eastern Turkistan prior to important national conferences or ceremonies. After the events, China would release some without providing any excuse for their detention while further detaining others under false charges. China intensified its arbitrary arrests of Uyghurs before this year’s party congress, sending tens of thousands to “re-education” camps.  

 

We’re concerned that the detention of the three Uyghur activists in Pakistan is part of China’s pre-conference/ceremony detentions. Pakistan has already proved that it’s willing to violate international law and basic principles of human rights with its refoulment of hundreds of Uyghurs to China over the past 10 years. Those Uyghurs previously deported to China were asylum seekers, but these three men are Pakistani citizens. 

 

It’s no secret that China views Uyghurs living in every part of the world as a threat to its control over Eastern Turkistan as the Chinese Communist Party fears Uyghurs and seeks to undermine their efforts to advocate for Uyghur human rights and self-determination. We’re disappointed that Pakistan is now acting like China towards its ethnic Uyghur citizens. Pakistan undermines Pakistani laws and its independence and democracy by cooperating with China to persecute Uyghurs. Perhaps the Pakistani people want to develop closer relations with China, but they should not compromise their independence in the name of friendship. Pakistan may need China’s support, but we believe that the Pakistani people will not want to secure that support through the tears and blood of the Uyghur Muslims in Pakistan and Eastern Turkistan. 

 

We call on our neighbor country, Pakistan, to refuse China’s illegitimate and unjust requests and orders and release the three ethnic Uyghur Pakistanis detained on October 17. In the name of human rights and regional and international stability, we urge Pakistan to refuse to carry out China’s unjust demands in similar matters and maintain its independence as it seeks to improve relations with China.