Born in Mongolia in an Uyghur-Kazakh family, Abdurahman Ebey immigrated to Xinjiang at age 3, later becoming one of the region's prominent publishers. In July 2018, he was arrested, and is believed to have remained in detention since.

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testifying party

Testimony 1: Anonymous, as reported by Radio Free Asia Uyghur. (relation unclear)

Testimony 2: Xinjiang Youth Publishing House staff, as reported by Radio Free Asia Uyghur. (from same town/region)

Testimony 3: Ataqai Tusip, a citizen of Kazakhstan. (uncle)

Testimony 4: Abduweli Ayup, a language activist, linguist, and writer, originally from Kashgar but now residing in Norway.

Testimony 5: Eqide Polat, a student in the United States. (great-niece)

Testimony 6: The "Shanghai List", as reported by Radio Free Asia Uyghur.

Testimony 7: Urumqi police records, as reported by Yael Grauer. 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: 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 6: 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 7: 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 8: 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

Abdurahman Ebey was born in Mongolia in 1953, to an Uyghur father named Ebeydulla and a Kazakh mother named Toqan Tusip. They came to Xinjiang in 1956.

Abdurahman had a 40-year career in writing and publishing in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, serving as director of the official Xinhua Bookstore, and from 2005-2015 as director and Communist Party deputy secretary of the Xinjiang People's Publishing House. In the Chinese media he had been portrayed as an “energetic publisher” who won national awards in the field every year from 2003 to 2013. Local websites said that Ebey left his position as director of Xinjiang People's Publishing House in January 2015, and was appointed as the manager of the History Research Office of the Xinjiang Autonomous Political Expansion Committee. He left that post in January 2017.

Address: Urumqi. Abdurahman Abey, approximately 65. "Had a 40-year career in writing and publishing in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), serving as director of the official Xinhua Bookstore, and from 2005-2015 as director and Communist Party deputy secretary of the Xinjiang People's Publishing House. In Chinese media he had been portrayed as an “energetic publisher” who won national awards in the field every year from 2003-13 (...) Local websites said Abey left his position as director of Xinjiang People's Publishing House in January 2015, and was appointed as the manager of the History Research Office of the Xinjiang Autonomous Political Expansion Committee. He left that post in January 2017".
Apparently started to come under suspicion by Chinese authorities at the beginning of 2015.

Testimony 3: he was born in Mongolia in 1953, to an Uyghur father named Ebeydulla and a Kazakh mother named Toqan Tusip. They came to Xinjiang in 1956.

current location

[Presumably in Urumqi.] "His current whereabouts and the status of his case are not known"

chronology of detention(s)

Abdurahman allegedly started to come under suspicion by the Chinese authorities at the beginning of 2015. He was later reported to have been arrested in July 2018.

(Police records note him going through at least three checks in October-November 2017, being deemed "completely normal" (一切正常), and allowed to move on (放行) each time.) Arrested in july 2018.

Testimony 7: Police records note him going through at least three checks in October-November 2017, being deemed "completely normal" (一切正常), and allowed to move on (放行) each time.

suspected and/or official reason(s) for detention

For being "implicated in separatism and religious extremism activities" while he was working at the Xinjiang People's Publishing House, according to a staff member at the Xinjiang Youth Publishing House.

The victim's uncle, Ataqai, says that he was detained for translating the Quran and running a publishing house.

The "Shanghai List", a leaked police document, reported him as a "terrorist suspect" [though it is not clear what this really entailed]. According to a staff member at the Xinjiang Youth Publishing House, interviewed by RFA : "During the time when he was working at the Xinjiang People's Publishing House (Abey) was implicated in separatism and religious extremism activities"

Testimony 3: translating the Quran and running a publishing house.

Testimony 6: The "Shanghai List", a leaked police document, reported him as a "terrorist suspect" [though it is not clear what this really entailed].

last reported status

Believed to be detained. "Under arrest and further investigation"

how testifier(s) learned of victim's situation

The staff member at the Xinjiang Youth Publishing House where the victim used to work is a primary source close to the case, and presumably has more direct knowledge of the matter. Testimony 1: unclear

Testimony 2: this is a staff member of the publishing house where the victim used to work, and presumably has more direct knowledge of the case.

additional information

Radio Free Asia coverage:
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/abey-arrest-10152018172356.html
https://www.rfa.org/uyghur/xewerler/kishilik-hoquq/abduraxman-ebey-tutuqlandi-10132018002342.html
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/special/shanghai-list/

This victim is included in the list of prominent detained Uyghurs, available at: shahit.biz/supp/list_003.pdf

An article on the WeChat account of the Xinjiang People's Publishing House mentions learning from Abdurahman Ebey's "mistakes" (以阿不都热合曼·艾白为镜鉴): https://archive.vn/WAcCG

Abdurahman Ebey's article about Uyghurs in Mongolia (his own family included): https://www.akademiye.org/ug/?p=6664

His Baidu Baike: http://archive.is/I2iXe

The victim's Party-line article on ethnic unity: http://archive.is/vL8qv

Publishing-related article that he wrote: http://archive.is/rEYd8

Various articles mentioning him:
http://archive.is/fq2kD
http://archive.is/ujf5B
http://archive.is/Bi956
http://archive.is/yx9T6

An article where he is quoted speaking against terrorist incidents in Kashgar: http://archive.is/VZ83f

A 2011 award list in which he is included: http://archive.is/D27Ex

Listed as one of the resignees from the 2017 Eleventh XUAR CPPCC Committee: http://archive.is/AS1Bv

Listed as being removed from his post as deputy secretary and director of the People's Publishing House in 2015: http://archive.is/LhSfl

Listed as being a member of a writers association: http://archive.is/VvspA RFA coverage (Testimony 1+2+6):
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/abey-arrest-10152018172356.html
https://www.rfa.org/uyghur/xewerler/kishilik-hoquq/abduraxman-ebey-tutuqlandi-10132018002342.html
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/special/shanghai-list/

This victim is included in the list of detained Uyghur intellectuals (Testimony 4), available at: shahit.biz/supp/list_003.pdf

Article on WeChat account of the XJ publishing house that mentions learning from Abdurahman Ebey's mistakes: https://archive.vn/WAcCG

Abdurahman Ebey's article about Uyghurs in Mongolia (his own family included): https://www.akademiye.org/ug/?p=6664

state-media report(s)

Source: https://archive.vn/WAcCG

Working Committee | Xinjiang People’s General Publishing House diligently launches campaigns to promote special lectures given by Party members, leaders, and officials on the Party’s political developments

Xinjiang People’s General Publishing House 2018-10-11

Source: Tianshan Pioneer

As the front line and major battlefield in the fight against ideological secession, the Xinjiang People’s General Publishing House must focus on its main goal of winning the battle and creating a firm-as-steel ideological frontline that reassures the Party and satisfies the people, playing a crucial part in fully promoting the Party’s political constructs, taking political responsibilities as the Party Committee, exerting the political functions of grassroots organizations, and creating an excellent political ecology for the Party Committee. The head office Party Committee thus attaches great importance to implementing classes that fully promote the Party’s spirit of political developments among the district authorities. Led by Party officials with the theme of Party political constructs, and combined with the practical reality of the Xinjiang People’s Publishing House, these classes define the Party Committee’s practice of “Two Protections” and bring into play the “Two Roles”. They fully promote the focus of the Party's political construction work.

First, video conferences are led by the Secretaries of the Party Committee to provide full coverage. Members of the Party go to different base work units to give lectures, secretaries of various levels of Party organizations live a “dual life” at various local organizations to give lectures there, and members of the grassroots Party organizations go to various villages, including those that are rural and poverty-stricken, to "Visit the People, Benefit the People, and Bring Together the Hearts of the People” and promote “Connections between Party and Local Units, Strengthening the Efforts on Diminishing Poverty” at support education sites in southern Xinjiang. The “Xinjiang People’s General Publishing House” WeChat is used to assist in deeper learning. Agents from the Party Committee and Discipline Inspection monitor the progress and promotion of the Party classes to make sure Party members and officials realize the action plan for the education of the Party’s political developments. The content of these lectures is closely related to the Party’s political constructs, combined with the Party Committee’s socialist ideologies and unique working environment, and putting forth the “Four Focuses on Making Clear” the importance of strengthening the Party’s political construction, the specific requirements of implementing the “Two Protections”, the specific requirements for bringing into play the "Two Roles" of the grassroots Party organizations and Party members, and the significant role that the Party’s political constructs play in creating a firm-as-steel ideological frontline in publications, ensuring that the lectures themed around the “Party’s political constructs” are closely integrated with reality, can get good results, and achieve full coverage.

Second, classes where Party members and officials talk about the Party’s political constructs are taken as a starting point and combined with inspection and ratification work to diligently analyze the shortcomings of the political constructs of the Party, establishing the “Implementation Measures of the Party Committee of Xinjiang People’s General Publishing House on Comprehensively Promoting the Party’s Political Constructs”, putting forth the reinforcement of the Party’s political constructs, implementing the “Two Protections” and bringing into play the “Two Roles”, which require focusing on the “Four Hard Works”: working hard to reinforce ideologies and “arm the mind”, working hard to focus on the center and serve the greater cause, working hard to strengthen Party building responsibilities and team building, and working hard on strict discipline and management of the Party. The Party’s political constructs thereby have content, criteria, standards, goals, and focus, and guidance to become ever more clear and concrete.

Third, classes where Party members and officials talk about the Party’s political constructs are taken as a starting point and focus on fully implementing the “Party Committee’s Opinions on the Implementation of the Work Responsibility System in the Ideological Field” and the “Party Committee Monitoring the Responsibility System for Ideological Work and Implementing the Assessment and Accountability Methods for Strengthening the Construction of the Publishing Field”, as content in specialized Party classes. Classic cases are used as examples to carry out cautionary education – notably, learning from Abdurahman Ebey’s errors – combined with the learning and testing of the newly amended “Chinese Communist Party Disciplinary Measures”, to promote all Party members in the head publishing system, especially publishing professionals, to always recognize the important position and role of the Party's publishing work in the ideological field, to always recognize the Party’s principle of adhering to the policy of politicians, to always adhere to the people-centered work orientation, and to always declare a firm political stance and strengthen political responsibilities. [Party members are taught] how to continuously enhance their political acuities and discernments, and how to become the loyal guards for the Party’s publishing industry, who are dedicated to securing the Party’s ideologies and who resolutely resist the infiltration and influence of the "Three Evil Forces" and the “Two Pan” reactionary thoughts, [with encouragement to] implement their clear political stance in every position, every task, every topic, and every publishing process, and to take the work of political construction to wherever their business extends, so that they can realize the political constructs and the Party's various tasks, as well as the deployment and implementation of their business, all at the same time.

Fourth, classes where Party members and officials talk about the Party’s political constructs are taken as a starting point to promote publication work as a powerful safeguard for ideologies and public opinions in the Party’s political constructs, to study and comprehend the “Nine Persistences” put forward in General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech at the National Propaganda and Ideological Work Conference, consciously shouldering the flag and taking responsibility in uniting people’s hearts, educating newcomers, developing cultures, and becoming role models, taking the Party’s political constructs as the main command, focusing on the main goal of our work in Xinjiang, highlighting published works centered around the themes of centralization and serving the greater good, highlighting Xi Jinping’s new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics and disseminating the popular theories of Party building, highlighting socialist core values and the propaganda and guidance on the "five identities" and the "three inseparables”, highlighting the philosophical and social science theories with Chinese characteristics and the promotion of Xinjiang’s "Four Histories”, improving the Party publication’s communication, guidance, influence, and credibility, promoting the creative transformations and innovative developments of the traditional culture of China with high-quality publishing, telling the story of China and Xinjiang well, putting effort into making positive contributions in pushing forward the prosperity of socialist culture, ensuring that the socialist cultural undertakings with Chinese characteristics in the new era advance in the correct political direction, echoing the Party's rightful opinions and letting them become the strongest voice of this era, promoting people of all ethnic groups uniting closely in their ideals, beliefs, values, and morals, making greater contributions to serving the Party and the country, becoming a better embodiment of confidence, to unite people’s hearts, warm people’s hearts, and build unity in the community, making sure that the head office always remains the publishing bastion of firm-as-steel ideologies that the Party and the people can trust, rely on, and use, and ensuring that the Party Central Committee’s strategy of governing Xinjiang – especially the general goal of social stability and long-term stability – take root.

police checks

2017-10-25
一切正常。
放行
2017-11-03
一切正常。
放行
2017-11-23
一切正常。
放行

supplementary materials

entry created on: 2018-10-31

entry last modified on: 2021-07-01

last update from testifier(s): 2021-02-21