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15 things You Need To Know About China’s Torture of Uyghur Muslims

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By Gulnaz Uyghur

The Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region is China’s largest provincial unit, accounting for one sixth of the Chinese territory. This region does not belong to the country as it was occupied in 1949. Uyghur Muslims are the ethnic population of this region and call this land, East Turkestan. Even after its occupation, the demands for freedom has always been alive and keeps growing due to the ruthless suppression of Muslims by the Chinese Government.

Below are the 15 ways through which Chinese authorities torture Uyghurs and suffocate them in their own land.

1. Forced Labour is Mandatory for Uyghurs

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In Xinjiang, it is compulsory for Uyghur residents to participate in unpaid labor, called hashar. They are not provided any compensation for their labor and forced to pay for their own transportation and meal costs. Workers who are injured are also required to look after their own medical expenses. In some cases, if  someone sends a family member to work, then Uyghurs need to pay a fine for that.

2. Children are also pulled out for forced labor

Uyghur families that do not have an able bodied young men are also not exempt from the system. Men and women as old as 70 and children as young as 12 are reported to have participated. Uyghur secondary school students are at times pulled out of classrooms in order to meet laborquotas.

3. Teenagers are arrested due to posts on social media

Young Uyghurs are arrested for posting comments on social media or watching Islamic videos online. Once a 15 yr old was arrested in the same case and sentenced for 10 years!.Other than this not many people are given internet connection and Police can arrest anyone for watching anything online! Uyghur homes are also raided for materials deemed “extreme” or “subversive.

4. Muslim farmers are required to sell below market rates

Government regulations require many Uyghur farmers to sell their produce to local governments at below market prices. This results in extreme poverty for the Uyghur families as they are not able to earn appropriate money to feed their own families.

5. Farmlands are confiscated by the government

It has become common for Chinese authorities to confiscate farmland and property of Uyghurs. These assets are then redistributed to Chinese migrants. Uyghurs who petition these practices are often charged without trial for “harming ethnic unity”.

6. Discrimination of Uyghurs

On paper, the Chinese migrants are shown equal to Uyghurs. In reality, they enjoy far more entitlements than Uyghur farmers. The Chinese migrants not only enjoy the freedom to harvest any crop, they can also take out bank loans and are entitled to greater water resources.

7. A man was shot for keeping a beard

No man, in Xinjiang is allowed to keep beard. Uyghur men refusing to shave their beards are frequently harassed, intimidated, with one man having been shot by police in one instance. According to the Chinese Government keeping a beard is a sign of being an extremist. 

8. Most Uyghur don’t know about their basic rights

Most of the Uyghur population, especially those of the older generation, lack a basic knowledge of human rights and don’t even know their rights as citizens according to the constitution. This is because they have never been given these rights and lack of education has also played a very large role in it. Most of the times they are exploited by claiming that it’s a law.

9. Nikah is considered illegal in China

In April 2014, Chinese authorities instigated a system of rewards, some exceeding more than 50,000 Yuan (USD 7500), for whistle-blowers who reported on a range of illegal religious activities including the wearing of beards and the practice of Nikah, a traditional religious marriage ceremony. Chinese authorities take harsh steps to ban religious freedom in East Turkestan.

10. Muslims are ordered to sell Alcohol

Chinese authorities in Hotan County, Hotan Prefecture ordered shopkeepers to stock alcohol and cigarettes in a campaign to “weaken religion,” as Uyghur residents refrained from drinking and smoking for religious reasons. All these actions are a part of ‘Strike hard campaign’ by the government, which is actually a campaign against Uyghur Muslims.

11. Muslim names are banned

The Chinese Government has banned Muslim names in the region. The security officials go from house-to-house ordering parents to ensure that their children’s names do not fall on a list of 22 banned names. Which include mostly Muslim names. Uyghur parents are not even allowed to name their child according to their wish. 

12. Imams are imprisoned

No one in Xinjiang is allowed to teach Quran outside the mosques. And children below 18 years old are not allowed to enter the Mosques. It is a crime to give any kind of teaching related to Islam in Xinjiang. Often parents are harassed for even keeping the Quran at home. Religious leaders often serve prison sentences for the peaceful observation and practice of Islam.

13. Every year Ramadan is banned

During the holy month of Ramadan, restaurants in Hotan have been forbidden from being shutting down. Workers are forced to participate in educational activities on atheism. Government servants, students and anyone working for the party is not allowed to celebrate Ramadan. Various competitions related to eating and drinking are organized in the region to force feed people during the month.

14. Women are forced to abort their child

Pregnant Uyghur women in stages of gestation as late as 9 months have been forced to undergo abortions in some cases under China’s one-child policy. This practice is still brutally followed in Xinjiang and Uyghur women are sometimes forced to flee their homes due to this.

15. Uyghurs are not allowed to leave China

In 2014, Chinese authorities in Hotan began limiting Uyghurs’ ability to travel, both domestically and abroad through passport restrictions. These restrictions have increased now as the police authorities are collecting the passports of Uyghurs and keeping them in the office. At present , it is impossible for Uyghurs to travel abroad as first they would need to face interrogation which will most probably result in their arrest.

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22 Comments

22 Comments

  1. Musa Abubakar

    November 30, 2016 at 4:35 AM

    And, the narratives is different because they are Muslims. The world watches mutedly to the injustice the Uyghurs are subjected, like Palestinians they perpetually condemned.

    Reply

  2. Aafia

    November 30, 2016 at 2:39 PM

    In the initial stage of life at Madinah, after the migration, when the Muslims were in great trouble on account of economic hardships, external dangers and internal villainy of the Jews and the hypocrites, Allah said:

    “Do you think that you will enter Paradise without undergoing such trials as were experienced by the believers before you? They met with adversity and affliction and were so shaken by trials that the Prophet of the time and his followers cried out, when will Allah’s help come? (Then only they were comforted with the good tidings:) “Yes, Allah’s help is near!”‘ (Al-Baqarah: 214). Likewise, when after the Battle of Uhud, the Muslims again confronted a period of afflictions, it was said: “Do you think that you will enter Paradise without undergoing any trial? whereas Allah has not yet tried you to see who among you are ready to lay down their lives in His way and who will show fortitude for His sake.” (Al-Imran: 142). Almost the same thing has been said in AI-Imran: 179, Taubah: 16 and Surah Muhammad: 31. Allah in these verses has impressed on the Muslims that trial is the touchstone by which the pure and the impure are judged. The impure is turned aside by Allah and the pure is selected so that Allah may honour them with His favors which the sincere believers only deserve.

    Ref : Comforting Verses to the Oppressed Uyghur Muslim of China : http://islamhashtag.com/muslims-in-china/

    Reply

    • M

      December 1, 2016 at 3:33 PM

      True, but unfortunately the Uyghurs will not be reading this since they can’t even watch Islamic videos without being arrested. But we by standers can, and it is our duty as Muslims to help those who are oppressed. So What should we do?

      Reply

  3. MR MD JOARDER

    November 30, 2016 at 2:45 PM

    My heart bleeds. I wish I could help my brothers and sisters. Allah is watching. And our prayers are with them. Looks like human right is also driven by business case not by morals anymore.

    Reply

  5. Pingback: Mao Tse-Tung on Paper Tigers – ALLAHU HAQQ ALLAH IS TRUTH

  6. Rafiu

    December 1, 2016 at 2:17 AM

    May Allah grant them patience and relieve their suffering. He knows best.

    Reply

  7. M

    December 1, 2016 at 3:29 PM

    SubhanAllah, I knew China had human rights issues, but this is just crazy. Is there any way we can help them? I mean, besides raising awareness about the issue.

    Reply

  8. Maryam

    December 1, 2016 at 10:18 PM

    La Illaha Illa Allah , is there anyway we can help , other than raising awareness , this is maddening.

    Reply

    • a human being

      December 12, 2016 at 7:03 PM

      Perhaps bearded brothers and niqabi exodus…to their lands…WORLD fortillas and convoys….to all oppressed peoples….

      .suppose demonstrations are signs of the times one way or the other….

      Understandbly perhaps im wrong but donald was suggesting banning ideological demos…..

      What can be done??

      Reply

  9. Pingback: 15 things You Need To Know About China’s Torture of Uyghur Muslims | AbuMubarak's Blog

  10. Naomi Macklin-Carr

    December 4, 2016 at 12:05 PM

    SubhanAllah, may Allah ease their suffering. Thanks for raising awareness, I’m sure many of us are ignorant about what going on on that side of the world.

    Reply

  11. Yousuf

    December 5, 2016 at 2:28 AM

    Dear Muslim brothers and sisters please make duaa for all the oppressed Muslims at night prayer and whenever you can. May Allah forgive us, we are not doing enough! May Allah guide us and keep us steadfast.

    Reply

  12. shahid shaikh

    December 11, 2016 at 6:10 AM

    why china is doing like this kind of things, laying by force of things is an indecent acts and disgusting to human society and culture. Is China out of that circle?. We all muslim should appeal to their authorities to annihilate such kind of act, esp to muslims, and pray to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala to relieve Uighur muslims from these conditions and give some awareness to chinese authorities to stop such sinful crime.

    Reply

  13. RaW

    December 12, 2016 at 2:30 PM

    If all traders from China know this and threaten China to stop importing their items, they will change the state of these Muslim Chinese.

    Reply

  14. Khurshid Syed

    December 17, 2016 at 2:35 AM

    You will soon for forget about China. Wait till Trump gets into office. Following is the statement from Trump national security team:
    “Islam is no mere religion. It is an all-encompassing ideological system that dictates everything from law (Shariah) to personal relationships which also have religious elements. Conquest and subjugation of the infidel lands are integral to this totalitarian ideology, by the sword, if necessary. It therefore requires that we fight this war the way we fought the Nazis in World War II and Soviet communists during the Cold War: comprehensively and strategically, with every available military, economic, ideological, diplomatic, cyber- and religious lever. We must stop this threat before it metastasizes further and fully consumes Western Civilization.”(Monica Crowley, new member of Trump national security team)

    Reply

  15. A

    July 25, 2017 at 3:21 PM

    Well, this is a big issue. But never going told by the news since its islam, working without being paid it is too much

    Reply

  16. Nurul Hasan

    February 17, 2018 at 2:19 AM

    Allaha ,save this people”who love you”from the black hand Saitan”

    Reply

  17. KEREM CONGAR

    November 6, 2018 at 1:19 PM

    Dear Gulnaz Uyghur. I’m a Turkish journalist from euronews, from Lyon France. We want to make an interview with you about East Turkistan issue (on the phone, chat or video call) Please contact with me. Thank you. Rahmat.

    Reply

  18. The Muslim Talk

    January 12, 2019 at 7:49 AM

    How you can help with the Uyghur situation
    http://www.iuhrdf.org/help

    Reply

  19. The Muslim Talk

    January 12, 2019 at 7:51 AM

    While the Uyghurs have suffered terribly under the Chinese regime, we must also not forget the Rohingya people:

    The Rohingya people are a Muslim people in Myanmar (Burma) who have, in recent years, been slaughtered, raped, exiled from their homes, subjected to poverty and hunger, and more — by the government of Myanmar and the Buddhist majority in the country.

    The blood of these people is running on the floor and they are being burned alive, tortured inhumanely, and denied a home. Should the world not care a bit? Yet, the major powers of the world have done little to help.

    The question for us is, what can we do?

    First of all, let’s remember to keep these people in our prayers. Would you pray for your relatives if they were being killed and raped? These are our brothers and sisters in Islam and our fellow humans.

    Second of all, you can actually offer some help through financial donations that provide food/supplies for them. Donations are available on the Islamic Relief Worldwide website:

    https://donations.islamic-relief.com/?

    Third, educate yourself on this problem. See the video link below (35 mins) that will give you useful information about the issue.

    Fourth, If you care for these people please SHARE this post and other posts that talk about them in order to bring more attention to the issue.

    “The Rohingya and Our Duties Towards Them” by Shaykh Dr. Yasir Qadhi:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Abhh–Ts-DA

    *This comment was edited by the MM Comments Team in order to comply with our Comments Policy*

    Reply

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