Hayrigul’s brother told Amnesty International that he last saw his sister at an airport in Turkey on 27 October 2015. Around June or July 2017, Hayrigul was detained by the Chinese authorities and taken from Urumqi to Toksu. It is unclear whether she is now in an internment camp or a prison. According to her brother now based in Germany, she was detained for having travelled and studied abroad. It appears she has had no access to a lawyer and that the Chinese authorities have not provided any official documents about her status. In April 2020, hoping to receive information about his sister, her brother spoke to some family members still in Xinjiang, but the call was arranged by a Chinese police officer who asked him for information in exchange for updates about his sister. When the brother refused, the officer told him: “You need to cooperate if you want to see your mom [again].” Since refusing, he has not been able to speak to his family again.