testifying party

Testimony 1: Mamutjan Abdurehim, a resident of Australia who previously studied in Malaysia, but fled because of fear of deportation. (father)

Testimony 2: Mamutjan Abdurehim, as reported by CNN. (father)

Testimony 3: CNN, an American news-based pay television channel.

Testimony 4: CGTN, an international English-language news channel based in Beijing and owned by China Central Television. Testimony 1: father daughter brother sister son mother grandfather grandmother grandson granddaughter uncle aunt nephew niece brother-in-law sister-in-law father-in-law mother-in-law son-in-law daughter-in-law cousin friend colleague former student relative relation unclear from same town/region n/a husband wife the victim lawyer child friends, family, and students great-nephew great-niece former schoolmate cousin once removed friend of relative boyfriend girlfriend friend of friend aunt-in-law acquaintance judge cousin-in-law nephew-in-law niece-in-law uncle-in-law former neighbor stepbrother stepsister stepfather stepmother stepdaughter stepson neighbor of relative detained together former teacher relative of friend relative of teacher sibling grandchild cousin twice removed trial attendee ex-wife great-uncle great-aunt in-law grandmother-in-law grandfather-in-law great-grandmother great-grandfather half-brother half-sister ex-husband direct third-party
Testimony 2: father daughter brother sister son mother grandfather grandmother grandson granddaughter uncle aunt nephew niece brother-in-law sister-in-law father-in-law mother-in-law son-in-law daughter-in-law cousin friend colleague former student relative relation unclear from same town/region n/a husband wife the victim lawyer child friends, family, and students great-nephew great-niece former schoolmate cousin once removed friend of relative boyfriend girlfriend friend of friend aunt-in-law acquaintance judge cousin-in-law nephew-in-law niece-in-law uncle-in-law former neighbor stepbrother stepsister stepfather stepmother stepdaughter stepson neighbor of relative detained together former teacher relative of friend relative of teacher sibling grandchild cousin twice removed trial attendee ex-wife great-uncle great-aunt in-law grandmother-in-law grandfather-in-law great-grandmother great-grandfather half-brother half-sister ex-husband direct third-party
Testimony 3: father daughter brother sister son mother grandfather grandmother grandson granddaughter uncle aunt nephew niece brother-in-law sister-in-law father-in-law mother-in-law son-in-law daughter-in-law cousin friend colleague former student relative relation unclear from same town/region n/a husband wife the victim lawyer child friends, family, and students great-nephew great-niece former schoolmate cousin once removed friend of relative boyfriend girlfriend friend of friend aunt-in-law acquaintance judge cousin-in-law nephew-in-law niece-in-law uncle-in-law former neighbor stepbrother stepsister stepfather stepmother stepdaughter stepson neighbor of relative detained together former teacher relative of friend relative of teacher sibling grandchild cousin twice removed trial attendee ex-wife great-uncle great-aunt in-law grandmother-in-law grandfather-in-law great-grandmother great-grandfather half-brother half-sister ex-husband direct third-party
Testimony 4: father daughter brother sister son mother grandfather grandmother grandson granddaughter uncle aunt nephew niece brother-in-law sister-in-law father-in-law mother-in-law son-in-law daughter-in-law cousin friend colleague former student relative relation unclear from same town/region n/a husband wife the victim lawyer child friends, family, and students great-nephew great-niece former schoolmate cousin once removed friend of relative boyfriend girlfriend friend of friend aunt-in-law acquaintance judge cousin-in-law nephew-in-law niece-in-law uncle-in-law former neighbor stepbrother stepsister stepfather stepmother stepdaughter stepson neighbor of relative detained together former teacher relative of friend relative of teacher sibling grandchild cousin twice removed trial attendee ex-wife great-uncle great-aunt in-law grandmother-in-law grandfather-in-law great-grandmother great-grandfather half-brother half-sister ex-husband direct third-party
Testimony 5: add father daughter brother sister son mother grandfather grandmother grandson granddaughter uncle aunt nephew niece brother-in-law sister-in-law father-in-law mother-in-law son-in-law daughter-in-law cousin friend colleague former student relative relation unclear from same town/region n/a husband wife the victim lawyer child friends, family, and students great-nephew great-niece former schoolmate cousin once removed friend of relative boyfriend girlfriend friend of friend aunt-in-law acquaintance judge cousin-in-law nephew-in-law niece-in-law uncle-in-law former neighbor stepbrother stepsister stepfather stepmother stepdaughter stepson neighbor of relative detained together former teacher relative of friend relative of teacher sibling grandchild cousin twice removed trial attendee ex-wife great-uncle great-aunt in-law grandmother-in-law grandfather-in-law great-grandmother great-grandfather half-brother half-sister ex-husband add add direct third-party

Update 

Name:    Description:    unverified verified    1 2 3 4 5    Add

about the victim

Muhlise Mamutjan.

Testimony 2: Muhlise is turning 11 years old in May 2021.

Testimony 4: she is a student at the Kashgar No. 1 Elementary School [an award from 2018 appears to confirm this, but an award from 2019 puts her at the No. 19 school].

current location

[Presumably in Kashgar.]

chronology of detention(s)

The family of the victim was originally living together in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In December 2015, Muherrem Ablet (mother of victim) went back to Kashgar with Muhlise Mamutjan (the victim) and Hikmet Mamutjan (brother of victim).

Muherrem Ablet (mother of victim) was later arrested in China and has been in wrongful detention since April 2017.

It is unclear what has happened to the victim after the arrest of her mother.

Testimony 2: her travel documents were confiscated in early 2017. Contact was lost in April 2017 (at around the time of her mother's detention).

suspected and/or official reason(s) for detention

---

last reported status

Testimony 3: CNN visited the family home in the spring of 2021, where they talked to Muhlise for a short period of time before local officials arrived. When asked whether or not she wanted to be reunited with Mamutjan Abdurehim, Muhlise reportedly told CNN: "We can't go ... Our passports were confiscated."

how testifier(s) learned of victim's situation

[Testimony 1: The testifier presumably lost all contact with the victim in April 2017.]

Testimony 3: CNN visited the victim.

additional information

CNN coverage (Testimony 2-3): https://edition.cnn.com/2021/03/18/china/xinjiang-uyghur-families-china-amnesty-report-exclusive-dst-intl-hnk/index.html

state-media report(s)

Source: https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-03-23/VHJhbnNjcmlwdDUzMDQy/index.html

Xinjiang Human Rights: Uygur family disturbed by CNN reporters asks son to come home

A Uygur family's cosy and simple life has been disturbed after three foreigners turned up on their doorstep, claiming to be classmates of their son, who currently works overseas. Family members are now calling on the man, who is currently living in Australia, to return home, as they haven't been in contact for five years. Huang Yue reports.

Muhlisa is a top student in her class in Kashgar No.1 Elementary School. The ten-year-old has received many awards for achieving high exam scores. Muhlisa's younger brother, who is six years old, will also start elementary school this September.

HUANG YUE (Kashgar, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region): "The two children have been living a simple and happy life with their grandparents in an ancient city of Kashgar until several days ago, when some uninvited guests knocked at their door."

Muhlisa recalls that three "uncles" stopped by with photos of her father.

MUHLISA MAMUT (Resident of Kashgar): "They said they were my father's classmates. They told me my father is now in Australia and asked if I want to go there to reunite with him. I said I don't want to go abroad. I want to stay in Kashgar."

The three "uncles" turned out to be reporters from CNN. And later, a photo of the girl crying made headlines. CNN reported that the child is prohibited from leaving the country to reunite with her father.

Muhlisa's father, Mamutjan Abdurehim, got married in Xinjiang in 2009 after completing his master's degree. He then stayed in Kashgar for 45 days, before going to Malaysia with his new wife.

According to Muhlisa's grandfather, from 2009 to 2013, Mamutjan would come back home once a year. And in 2015, his wife brought the two children back to Kashgar. Mamutjan's wife, named Muharram Ablat, was arrested on suspicion of provoking ethnic hatred in 2019. And since then, the two children have been left to stay between their paternal and maternal grandparents.

MUHLISA MAMUT (Resident of Kashgar): "I can video call my mother. Yesterday, we had a video call. I told her I miss her. My brother also said so. My mother said she is doing great and told us not to worry about her. I want to show her the awards I got from school when she comes back. I believe she will be very happy."

The last time the family had a phone conversation with Mamutjan was in April 2017.

ABLAT ABDUREYIM (Muhlisa's grandfather): "My wife picked up the phone. I was not at home. My wife asked why he hadn't called home for a long time. He said he went to Australia to apply for a doctoral degree, and would stay there until he received an offer. My wife said she was not feeling well and would go to the hospital the next day. And my son just said 'OK.'"

Ablat said with his monthly retirement pension of 1,900 yuan, he can support the family. He added that he and his wife have medical insurance to cover their hospital bills. And he doesn't need to pay for the children's tuition because they receive fifteen years of compulsory education for free in Xinjiang. So now, his only wish is to see his son back home.

ABLAT ABDUREYIM (Muhlisa's grandfather): "Come back home if you've finished your studies. Your mother and I are getting old. This is your home. And your two children are also here. We don't have any problem with our life, but you should raise your own children."

(Huang Yue, CGTN, Kashgar, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.)

relatives

supplementary materials

entry created on: 2021-01-30

entry last modified on: 2021-05-05

last update from testifier(s): 2021-03-18