Muhemmed'eli Tursun was a farmer, and a Friday imam for his neighborhood. In March 2017, he disappeared after being called to a meeting, reappearing in October with a 6-year prison sentence for "picking quarrels and provoking trouble".
In a prison in Korla City.كورلا شەھەرلىك مەلۇم بىر تۈرمىدە
chronology of detention(s)
He was called to attend a "meeting" (with other local imams) on March 24, 2017, and was arrested there. Around August of the same year, he would have a closed trial, without a lawyer and without the family being notified, where they would sentence him to 6 years for "picking quarrels and provoking trouble". He was then transferred to a prison in Korla.
While in prison, he wrote letters to his family, in which he emphasized such things as the need to learn the "national language".
Around April 2019, Muhemmed'eli called his family in Turpan from the prison. As they were only allowed to speak in Mandarin, only one of the family members was able to talk to him.2017-3-24
[Testimony 3: While in prison, he wrote letters to his family, in which he emphasized things such as the need to learn the "national language".
Around April 2019, Muhemmed'eli called his family in Turpan from the prison. As they were only allowed to speak in Mandarin, only one of the family members was able to talk to him.]
[Testimony 5: the meeting he was called to was a meeting of local imams]
suspected and/or official reason(s) for detention
Sentenced for "picking quarrels and provoking trouble".ئۆكتەملىك جىنايىتى
寻衅滋事罪
picking quarres and provoking trouble
騒乱挑発罪
last reported status
Serving a prison sentence.
From the video call he had with his family from prison, it was clear that he had lost significant weight (having previously weighed over 100 kilos).تۈرمىدە
[Testimony 3: From the video call he had with his family from prison, it was clear that he had lost significant weight (having previously weighed over 100 kilos).]
how testifier(s) learned of victim's situation
The family would learn of what happened only in October 2017, when they got a letter from the prison, saying that he had been sentenced around August and was now serving the sentence in Korla.
It has been possible for him to have phone calls with the family (fixed time/length), though they are required to speak Chinese during these.شۇ يىلى يەنى 2017 -يىلى ئۆكتەبىردە تۈرمىدىن بىر پارچە خەت كەلگەن، خەتتە ئۆزىنىڭ شۇ يىلى ئاۋغۇست ئايلىرىدا ھۆكۈم چىقىرىلىپ كورلىغا تۇتۇپ تۇرۇۋاتقانلىقى يېزىلغان. ھازىرمۇ قەرەللىك تېلېفون زىيارىتى مۇمكىن بولۇپ، زىيارەت تىلى خىتايچە بولۇش بەلگىلەنگەن.
additional information
The victim's son lists the following as illegal acts that the Chinese government has committed during this process and before (in violation of its own laws):
- keeping him in detention illegally for around 7 months
- not granting him his right to call a lawyer
- prior to this, questioning him on two occasions without any formal procedures
- installing surveillance cameras outside the family home without any reason (in 2014)
Context: Muhemmed'eli Tursun was disappeared in March 2017, after being called to a meeting. In October 2017, his family learned that he had been sentenced to 6 years for "picking quarrels and provoking trouble". In around April of 2019, his family had a video chat with him, where Muhemmed'eli can be seen as being in prison, with a guard present. His son in Japan, Muherrem, mentions that his father lost significant weight while in detention.
