Poet Tursunjan Emet was originally detained in 2002 for reading a poem at a New Year's party. Following 16 years of on-and-off harassment, he was detained again in late 2018, transferred to Urumqi, and sentenced to 12 years in late 2020.

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testifying party

Testimony 1: Amnesty International, a human rights organization.

Testimony 2|6: Doğan Erdoğan, as reported by Radio Free Asia Uyghur. (son-in-law)

Testimony 3|5|7: Doğan Erdoğan, a cook from Turkey. He married Gulnaz Tursun, Tursunjan Emet's daughter, but was forced to leave Xinjiang and has been unable to reunite with his wife and daughter. (son-in-law)

Testimony 4: Doğan Erdoğan, as reported by Gene A. Bunin. (son-in-law) 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 

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about the victim

Tursunjan Emet is an Uyghur poet, originally from Ili. Tursunjan Amat, an Uyghur poet.

[RFA report: he is originally from Ili.]

current location

Believed by his son-in-law to be in a camp in Miquan, Urumqi. [This is possibly in reference to the No. 1 detention center in Miquan, especially seeing as Tursunjan is currently being tried in Urumqi.] Urumqi

[presumably in Urumqi]

[his son-in-law (Testimony 4): in Miquan, Urumqi]

chronology of detention(s)

Tursunjan has been having issues since 2002, when he was first detained for reading an Uyghur poem at a New Year's party in the Urumqi People's Hall on January 1, 2002 (interpreted by officials as being "against the people and advocating separatism"). He was detained and released a number of times since.

The most recent detention was in September or December of 2018 [testimonies differ]. After initially being detained in Ghulja, he was later transferred to a camp in Urumqi [possibly a detention center].

In September 14, 2020, he was allegedly tried, also in connection with the poem he read in 2002, and sentenced three months later for "inciting separatism" (though it was originally stated that the verdict would be ready in ten days). Eight people from his family were allowed to come from Ghulja to Urumqi to attend the trial.

Tursunjan has appealed the verdict, however. 2002

[RFA report: He was detained and released many times after he had read Uyghur poem which officials interpreted to be "anti-people and advocating seperatism" - the first detention was in 2002. According to his son-in-law, a Turkish citizen now residing in Kazakhstan, he was detained again a year ago - as of October 2019 - and hasn't been released yet.]

[video testimony by his son-in-law: he was detained in September 2018 and taken to a camp in Urumqi]

Testimony 5: arrested in December 2018 and sent to a camp in Ghulja. The victim was later transferred from the concentration camp in Ghulja to a concentration camp in Urumqi.

Testimony 6:

The New Year's Eve party at which Tursunjan Emet recited his poem was a tembur performance/concert by Nurmuhemmet Tursun. The poem that Tursunjan Emet recited at that concert was entitled "Blood-Soaked Pick". Tursunjan Emet was initially detained for a period of 24 hours after his recital of "Blood-Soaked Pick" at the New Year's Eve concert. Following that initial detention, he was the subject of continuous police harassment and surveillance for a period of 16 years before he was eventually arrested from his home in Ghulja in September 2018.

According to Doğan Erdoğan (son-in-law), Tursunjan Emet was tried on 14 September 2020 in connection with his recital of "Bload-Soaked Pick" at the New Year's Eve party and sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment three months later on the charge of "inciting separatism". Doğan Erdoğan explains that there was no content in the poem that would justify that accusation. (eight members of Tursunjan Emet's family were allowed to come from Ghulja and attend his trial in Urumqi (on 14 September 2020).)

At the 14 September 2020 trial, authorities stated that the verdict would be given in ten days. Ultimately, three months passed before his family in Ghulja was informed through a lawyer that Tursunjan Emet had been sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment. Tursunjan Emet rejected and appealed the verdict, and according to a lawyer, he will be tried again at an unspecified date.

suspected and/or official reason(s) for detention

The reason for the initial detention back in 2002 was "advocating separatism". The recent sentence appears to be for the 2002 poem as well, and again for "inciting separatism".

His son-in-law, a Turkish citizen, believes that the reason for the current detention is that he allowed his daughter to marry a Turk. During the New Year's Party in Urumqi People's Hall in January 1, 2002, he read his poem in Uyghur that the officials interpreted to be "anti-people and advocating seperatism".

[video testimony by his son-in-law: for allowing his daughter to marry a Turkish citizen]

last reported status

Sentenced, but he has appealed the decision.

A former cellmate allegedly told Tursunjan's relatives in mid-2019 that Tursunjan was in detention but "doing well".

He suffers from diabetes, however, and the testifier has heard of him needing to be taken to a hospital several times. [presumably still in camp, according to his son in his video testimony; he suffers from diabetes]

[according to son-in-law (Testimony 4): no news since mid-2019, when a cellmate told them that the victim was interned but "doing well"]

Testimony 5: The testifier heard that the victim was taken to hospital "a few times" [presumably due to his diabetes] but his current health status is unknown.

Testimony 7: On June 11, Tursunjan's daughter spoke to him on the phone, for the first time in 33 months.

how testifier(s) learned of victim's situation

Dogan still appears to be in contact with his wife in Xinjiang, and they have been able to meet on the Kazakhstan-China border region on some occasions.

On June 11, 2021, Tursunjan's daughter spoke to him on the phone, for the first time in 33 months. Amnesty International report (Testimony 1): https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/116000/asa170102002en.pdf

[later coverage by RFA (Testimony 2): https://www.rfa.org/uyghur/xewerler/uyghurda-lager-10302019155359.html]

additional information

Tursunjan's initial arrest led to the government establishing compulsory political classes for the literary elite in Xinjiang.

His original case was mentioned in a 2002 Amnesty International report: https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/116000/asa170102002en.pdf

The poem he read: https://dostum.wordpress.com/2020/05/14/قانغا-بويالغان-ناخۇن/

Recent coverage from Radio Free Asia:
https://www.rfa.org/uyghur/xewerler/uyghurda-lager-10302019155359.html
https://www.rfa.org/uyghur/xewerler/tursunjan-emet-12112020211020.html Tursunjan's arrest led to the government establishing compulsory political classes for the literary elite in Xinjiang

RFA coverage (Testimony 6): https://www.rfa.org/uyghur/xewerler/tursunjan-emet-12112020211020.html

relatives

supplementary materials

entry created on: 2019-05-22

entry last modified on: 2021-06-13

last update from testifier(s): 2021-06-11