“Like we were enemies in a war”

China’s Mass Internment, Torture and Persecution of Muslims in Xinjiang

“Like we were enemies in a war” China’s Mass Internment, Torture and Persecution of Muslims in Xinjiang

Illustrations by Molly Crabapple

Yusupjan Abiden

玉苏圃江 · 阿布丁

Assumed Location

Prison, Tumxuk

Suspected Reasons for Arrest or Detention

Religious practices

Official Reason for Arrest or Detention

Unknown

Last Contact

April 2017

Yusupjan, a businessman from Artux, was sent to prison in April 2017, according to a cousin and her daughter, who were interviewed by Amnesty International from their home in the USA. They found out about Yusupjan’s detention the same year from other relatives who live abroad and that have connections with the family still in Xinjiang. They believe that Yusupjan was detained for his religious practices, but they were not able to confirm any other details of his case and have no official documents, as they have now lost contact with those relatives. They also believe Yusupjan was imprisoned, possibly for his religious practices, for 18 months between 2000 and 2002, during which time they say he was tortured, leading to the loss of an ear.

Personal Details

Yusupjan is a former religious teacher who later became a businessman. The family members that Amnesty International interviewed remember him as very respected, loved by his students and particularly helpful towards others.
They also added that he is married and has one son and two daughters, and that his wife spent two years in an internment camp.
Other family members have also been detained: Sadir Ali, sent to prison probably in May 2019 with a 20-year sentence, and Abiden Eyyubhaji has reportedly been held in an internment camp since 2017.

Date of Birth

1 April 1966

Ethnicity

Uyghur

Hometown

Artux

Profession

Former religiuos teacher, businessman

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