China, Uyghur professor charged with "inciting separatism"
Beijing (
AsiaNews / Agencies) - More than a month after his arrest, the Chinese
authorities have formalized the charges against Ilham Tohti, an economics
professor and well-known ethnic Uyghur activist for the rights of minorities
living in China. His
wife Guzaili Nu'er confirms that the academic has been accused of
"inciting separatism" and points out that at the moment "it is
not possible to know" where her husband is being held prisoner. Overseas
Uyghur groups have condemned the decision and called on the international
community to intervene for Tohti's release.
Tohti,
45, was arrested on 15 January. The academic is famous for his public speeches
in favor of the Uyghur cause. This ethnic group lives in the northern
autonomous region of Xinjiang, is of the Turkish language and the Muslim faith,
and denounces a strong linguistic, cultural and religious repression by the
Chinese central government. Over the years there have been numerous violent
clashes between the two sides: Beijing argues the region is home to Islamic
extremists and separatists, while local activists pointing the finger at ethnic
tensions caused by the Chinese control and "racist" policies in
implemented by the central government.
Dilshat
Rexit, spokesman for the World Uyghur Congress led by well-known activist Rebiya
Kadeer, said: "China's
accusations of separatism are merely an excuse for suppression of those with
different political opinions.
We call on the
international community to monitor China and free this Uyghur scholar". Both
the U.S. and the European Union condemned the Chinese government following his
arrest.
Several
human rights activists argue that an article written by Tohti to contest the
charges against the Uyghur minority after the attack on Tiananmen
Square in October 2013 is behind the arrest: "Even on other
occasions we have been referred to as perpetrators of serious acts, only to
discover that we had nothing to do with them". The day before his arrest,
he posted on his mobile social media account: "The Uygur people have
become outsiders in the development of their own homeland and survival,"
It is here that the people's anger begins to grow. Uygur people need an avenue
to express their aspirations and protect their rights".
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20/08/2010
