Anarqan Qanatbek, an ethnic Kazakh, was convicted of disturbing the social order and sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment in August 2018. Her family believes she was arrested merely because she was praying five times a day at her home. Currently held in No.7 Women’s Prison in Ghulja (Yining County), Anarqan had previously been detained in an internment camp for eight months. Noting that she did not have access to any lawyer during her trial, her family expressed their concern about Anarqan’s wellbeing as she was previously diagnosed with several medical conditions including hypertension, cerebral infarction, and coronary heart disease.
Early 2022, Amnesty International learned from Anarqan’s family that her husband is allowed to video call her on a regular basis.