testifying party

Testimony 1: Abduweli Ayup, a language activist, linguist, and writer, originally from Kashgar but now residing in Norway. (relation unclear)

Testimony 2: Anonymous, as reported by Radio Free Asia Uyghur. (acquaintance)

Testimony 3: Ili Normal University staff, as reported by Radio Free Asia Uyghur. (colleague) 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: 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

Nijat Sopi is the chair of Department of Literature, Ili Teacher's College. He graduated from Xinjiang University in 1990. And he obtained his Master's and Ph.D. degree under the supervision of Dr. Arslan Abdulla from Department of Philology, Xinjiang University. Since then, he has been working at the Ili Teacher's College. He was removed from his position in the beginning of 2018, however, whereabouts of the victim is still unknown.

Testimony 2: Originally from Tekes County. Studied at the Literature Department of Xinjiang University from September 1985 to July 1990. Worked as a middle/high-school teacher in Tekes County from 1990 on, later becoming a literature professor at the Ili Normal University. Did his Master's with Prof. Arslan Abdulla at the Xinjiang University Institute of Philology from September 2002 to 2004. In 2004, he returned to the Ili Normal University to continue to teach, following their request to do so. Later, he was able to go to Xinjiang University again to do a PhD with Arslan Abdulla.

current location

[Presumably in Ili.]

chronology of detention(s)

Testimony 2: According to an RFA source, it was announced that Sopi and others were being inspected at the end of 2017. In January 2018, they supposedly started to be taken to education centers.

suspected and/or official reason(s) for detention

Unclear

last reported status

Testimony 2: Concentration camp

Testimony 3: was "driven out" from the university at the beginning of 2018, according to a notice issued

how testifier(s) learned of victim's situation

Testimony 1: not stated

Testimony 2: [judging by the quote in the RFA article, the source appears to have heard this while in the region, but it's not clear from whom and how]

Testimony 3: this is a staff member at the university where the victim used to work, and presumably has more direct knowledge of the case (he also cites a notice being issued that mentioned the victim being driven out from the university)

additional information

UHRP report: https://docs.uhrp.org/pdf/UHRP_Disappeared_Forever_.pdf
RFA news: https://www.rfa.org/uyghur/xewerler/maarip/uyghur-ziyaliy-10082018175214.html

This victim is included in the list of detained Uyghur intellectuals (Testimony 1), available at: shahit.biz/supp/list_003.pdf

supplementary materials

entry created on: 2018-12-23

entry last modified on: 2020-12-29

last update from testifier(s): 2018-10-08