The last time Hawahan spoke with her sister living in Sweden was early 2016. At that time, Hawahan was already experiencing problems with the police and being forced to attend daily Chinese ceremonies and celebrations. Her sister says Hawahan complied with the Chinese authorities since she was waiting for her passport to join her husband abroad. However, her passport applications were always rejected, and she was detained in March 2017. First, Hawahan was sent to an internment camp and then to prison with a 13–15-year sentence. Her sister learnt about the sentence from family members in China, but she is unable to gather any other information.
Hawahan’s sister thinks the arrest may have been for violation of the birth control policy, having her husband abroad and teaching others to read the Qur’an in Arabic. Hawahan’s sister also added: “[My sister is in prison] because she’s a brave person, loyal to her identity. She follows traditions. She dares to do that in that environment.”