testifying party

Gene A. Bunin, independent scholar.

victim's relation to testifier

The victim is a friend.

about the victim

Mawlanjan Abdugheni, son of victim Abdugheni Abdulla (previous entry). Together with his father, he ran the "Tejelli" bookshop in Kashgar's Old City, in addition to a branch in Urumqi. He is married.

(I am assuming that "Abdugheni" is Mawlanjan's last name in view of naming customs.)

current location

The last I heard (November 2017) he was in a "re-education" camp in Kashgar.

chronology of detention(s)

Detained in April 2017, at the same time (or about the same time) as his father.

suspected and/or official reason(s) for detention

I don't know, but I suspect that it is very likely related to the fact that he and his father ran a bookstore that specialized in Uyghur literature, including books that were likely banned by that time. His father's last post on WeChat was a photo-advertisement of the first (relatively uncensored) editions of "Iz" and "Oyghanghan Zemin", historical novels that have since been banned. It is possible that this served as the catalyst, if not the reason, for the arrest.

last reported status

As of November 2017, he was in an "open" concentration camp in Kashgar, with his wife being able to visit him occasionally to have meals together.

how testifier(s) learned of victim's situation

Someone close to the family and having first-hand knowledge of the situation told me.

additional information

The online listing for the bookshop (now out of business): https://m.tianyancha.com/company/3142846946

relatives

supplementary materials

entry created on: 2019-04-21

entry last modified on: 2019-04-21

last update from testifier(s): 2019-04-21