Mehmet Yusup was a student of the famous musician Abdurehim Heyt, and was studying engineering in Turkey at the time of his arrest. Returning to Xinjiang in 2017, he was detained at the airport and later sentenced to 9 years.

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testifying party (* direct submission)

Testimony 1: "Yarmuhemmed Nur", an unverified Facebook account. (friend)

Testimony 2*: Anonymous, as reported by Gene A. Bunin. (friend)

Testimony 3: 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: 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 

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about the victim

Mehmet Yusup (Rahman) was born in the town of Azaq in Atush. A skilled dutar player, he was a student of the famous musician Abdurehim Heyt (411).

At the beginning of 2016, he came to Turkey with the goal of studying there. After 6 months of self-study, he took the college entrance exam and was accepted to several places, including Istanbul University and Ankara University, and started pursuing an electrical engineering degree at the Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University (bülent ecevit üniversitesi) in the September of that year.

After a semester, he decided to go back to Xinjiang to visit his family - his 90-year-old grandmother, in particular - and departed for Urumqi after obtaining all the necessary documents from the Chinese embassy in Ankara. However, he was arrested upon landing.

ID address: 207 Osteng Road, Ongruk Village, Azaq Township, Atush City, Kizilsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Prefecture (新疆阿图什市阿扎克乡翁艾日克村吾斯堂路207号). Mehmet Yusup (Rahman) was born on May 27th, 1995 in village of Azak, Atush. He arrived to Turkey in the beginning of 2016 in order to study there. After self studying 6 months and taking college entrance exam, he was accepted to Istanbul University, Ankara University etc. In Sep, 2016, he started pursuing electrical engineering degree at Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University (bülent ecevit üniversitesi). After a semester, he decided to go back and visit his family especially his 90 year-old grandmother. He obtained all necessary documents from the Chinese embassy in Ankara and departed to Urumqi. However, once he landed he was arrested.

Address: 207 Osteng Road, Ongruk village (翁艾日克村), Azak township (阿扎克乡), Artux city, Kizilsu Kyrgyz autonomous prefecture.

current location

In a prison in Maralbeshi County, Kashgar Prefecture. [testifier update in December 2019 (Testimony 2): prison in Maralbeshi County]

chronology of detention(s)

He disappeared on January 1, 2017, when he went back to China. In December 2019, the testifier got news that he had been sentenced to 9 years. On January 1, 2017, he went back to China to visit his 90 year-old grandmother. He was arrested at Urumqi airport and has since disappeared.

suspected and/or official reason(s) for detention

Unclear. The testifier states that it could be because Mehmet was Heyt's student. Unclear. Yarmuhemmed states that it could be because Mamat was a student of Abdurehim Heyt, a prominent Uyghur musician (entry 411).

last reported status

Serving a 9-year prison sentence. [testifier update in December 2019 (Testimony 2): sentenced to 9 years in prison]

how testifier(s) learned of victim's situation

Not stated. Unclear

additional information

Many people admired his dutar rendition of a musical piece from "Ertugrul", a Turkish TV series (see supplementary materials).

He has been mentioned in the UHRP report at: https://docs.uhrp.org/pdf/Detained-and-Disappeared-Intellectuals-Under-Assault-in-the-Uyghur-Homeland.pdf Many people admired his music video of Ertugrul (a Turkish TV series) with Duttar, a popular Uyghur music instrument (see supplementary materials below).

Also mentioned in UHRP report: https://docs.uhrp.org/pdf/Detained-and-Disappeared-Intellectuals-Under-Assault-in-the-Uyghur-Homeland.pdf

supplementary materials

entry created on: 2019-03-31

entry last modified on: 2020-06-03

last update from testifier(s): 2019-12-03