DOB: November 21, 2014. Born in Turkey. Passport no. E55950164
The family’s home is at Besh Tugmen (拜什吐格曼乡) in Aksu municipality.
Testimony 9: Address: Unity Road, Aksu City.
current location
[Presumably in Aksu.][Presumably in Aksu prefecture.]
chronology of detention(s)
In August 2016, Abdul'eziz's mother returned with him from Turkey to Xinjiang on a family visit, after which Abdurahman lost contact both with her and the children. It's not clear when exactly, but at some point before January 2019 Abdul'eziz seems to have been taken to a state-run orphanage, as in January 2019 his father saw a video of him at one, answering an instructor's questions in terse military style.From Business Insider: In January 2019, Abdurahman Tohti discovered a video online showing his son in a state-run Chinese orphanage. The wife and mother of Abduleziz had returned to Xinjiang for a family visit in August 2016. Since then, Abdurahman has lost contact with her and the children. This is the first sign of life from his son.
suspected and/or official reason(s) for detention
[Presumably because his mother was detained.]---
last reported status
As of January 2020, there is no one at Abdurahman's home in Aksu, and it is unclear if Abdul'eziz is still at the orphanage or elsewhere.
At some point in March 2020, the Chinese consulate called Abdurahman Tohti in relation to his children and told him that his children were with their uncle, not at a boarding school. The caller said that he did not know which uncle the children were with. (It is unclear whether this was true, or if it was a lie designed to keep Abdurahman Tohti quiet.)earlier: At a state-run orphanage
Testimony 5: the most recent news, as of January 2020, is that there's no one at Abdurahman's home in Aksu (it is unclear if his son is still at an orphanage or elsewhere).
how testifier(s) learned of victim's situation
From a video posted on Douyin.
(In approximately December 2018, a friend introduced Abdurahman Tohti to Douyin and showed him that he could search for videos posted by people in his hometown. As Abdurahman does not speak or write Mandarin, the friend typed in the name of Abdurahman's hometown for him. Afterwards, Abdurahman reportedly stayed in his apartment for a week, repeatedly searching for videos of Xinjiang, hoping to find someone that he recognized. Abdurahman saw the video of Abdul'eziz answering questions at the boarding school while he was lying in bed at approximately 2 in the morning on January 4, 2019.)The testifier saw his son in a video tape answering interrogative questions from a Han stranger. The questions included: “What is your fatherland” and “What is the flag of your fatherland”?
Testimony 8: In approximately December 2018, a friend introduced Abdurahman Tohti to TikTok and showed him that he could search for videos posted by people in his hometown. Abdurahman Tohti does not speak or write Mandarin, so the friend typed in the name of Abdurahman Tohti's hometown (Axu) for him. After being introduced to TikTok, Abdurahman Tohti reportedly stayed in his apartment for a week, repeatedly searching for videos of Xinjiang [presumably Axu] on TikTok, hoping to find someone that he recognised. Abdurahman Tohti saw the video of Abduleziz Abdurahman answering questions at the boarding school when he was lying in bed at approximately 2:00am on 4 January 2019.
Testimony 8: The Chinese consulate called Abdurahman Tohti in relation to his children at some point in March 2020 and told Abdurahman Tohti that his children were with their uncle, not at a boarding school. The caller said that he did not know which uncle the children were with. (It is unclear whether this was true, or if it was a lie designed to keep Abdurahman Tohti quiet.)
He's had no other news since.
additional information
At some point in 2020, Chinese authorities allegedly contacted Abdurahman (with his son), threatening him and telling him not to speak to media outlets.
Testimony 7: At some point in 2020, Chinese authorities allegedly contacted Abdurahman (with his son), threatening him and telling him not to speak to media outlets.
Context: Abdurahman Tohti has had no real news of his family since 2016, when his wife and children returned to Xinjiang and disappeared. In January 2019, Abdurahman saw a video of his son, Abdul'eziz Abdurahman, on the Chinese platform Douyin. In the video, one sees Abdul'eziz in a place with lots of other children - possibly in a classroom or a dorm. Prompted by a man speaking in Mandarin, Abdul'eziz answers questions about himself in terse, fast, military style. Many of the questions are "patriotic" in nature.
Histoire tragique de @AcqHayat qui a perdu toute sa famille (ses enfants nés en Turquie sa femme, ses parents, ses frères et sœurs), tous dans des camps ou prison, sa femme condamnée à 12 ans pour séjours en Turquie, les autres sont détenus pour leur lien avec Abdurahman. pic.twitter.com/LeeU3zsP5G
