For immediate release
December 11, 2007, 5:00 PM EST
Contact: Uyghur American Association +1 (202) 349 1496
 
The Uyghur Human Rights Project has learned that Ablikim Abdureyim, the son of prominent Uyghur democracy leader Rebiya Kadeer, is in dire medical condition in Bajiahu prison near Urumchi, the regional capital of East Turkestan (also known as Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the People’s Republic of China). Ablikim had difficulty recognizing members of his family during their 15-minute visit on December 6. Appearing extremely pale and weak, he told them that he had been in a coma on two occasions while in prison, and that he also fainted frequently. When questioned about Ablikim's health problems, Chinese police attributed them to a heart condition, and suggested that this condition could become worse if he continued to refuse to “cooperate with authorities” and “admit his criminal guilt.” UHRP believes that Ablikim’s refusal to cooperate with the authorities has led to severe mistreatment, including torture and medical neglect, resulting in his current grave physical condition.
 
“I call on PRC authorities to transfer Ablikim to a medical facility outside of the Chinese prison system to assure that he can receive the urgent medical attention he requires,” said Ms. Kadeer. “If he is not properly treated soon, I fear for his life.”
 
According to the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, “sick prisoners who require specialist treatment shall be transferred to specialized institutions or to civil hospitals.”
 
This was the first visit granted to family members of Ablikim since his imprisonment in April, despite the fact that visiting rights have been requested on many occasions. Ablikim was sentenced to nine years in prison on charges of “secessionism” in April 2007. Xinhua News, the official PRC news agency, reported that “Ablikim’s legal rights were protected during the trial and the information concerning the time and venue of the trial was publicized three days beforehand” and that Ablikim “confessed” to the charges against him during trial.  However, according to his family’s understanding, Ablikim was not allowed legal representation, the family was given no advance notice of the trial, and the “confession” was likely the result of torture.
 
Ablikim has reportedly been subjected to maltreatment and has suffered from physical ailments throughout his imprisonment and detention. In late November 2006, he was seen by sources close to UHRP being carried out of Tianshan District Detention Center on a stretcher, apparently in need of medical attention. It is feared Ablikim may have been beaten or tortured as a consequence of his mother, Ms. Kadeer, being elected to the position of president of the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) during the same time period.
 
Family members were also allowed to visit Ablikim's brother, Alim Abdureyim, for about 40 minutes, also on December 6. Prison officials told them that Alim had been more cooperative with authorities when requested to confess that he is a criminal. In November 2006, Alim was sentenced to seven years in prison and fined 62,500 USD on charges of tax evasion. Alim has also reportedly been subjected to torture and physical abuse at times during his 18 months under detention and in prison.
 
Kahar Abdureyim, Ms. Kadeer’s eldest son, was fined 12,500 USD for tax evasion at the same time as Alim’s sentencing and fine. 
 
Background
 
On August 11, 1999, PRC authorities arrested Ms. Kadeer in Urumchi, as she was on her way to meet with members of a U.S. congressional delegation.  She was incarcerated for nearly six years at Liudaowan Prison in Urumchi.  On March 17, 2005, when she was released on “medical parole” just three days before U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s official visit to Beijing, Ms. Kadeer became the first Uyghur political prisoner to be freed by the PRC due to international pressure.
   
In order to reduce Ms. Kadeer’s influence among Uyghurs by pressuring her into silence after her exile to the United States, PRC authorities began an intense campaign of intimidation against her family members and business associates inside East Turkestan.
   
On May 30, 2007, a day before the arrival in Urumchi of a U.S. delegation affiliated with the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, and two days after Ms. Kadeer was elected as the president of the Uyghur American Association in Washington, D.C., Chinese police detained Alim and Ablikim, along with their sister, Rushangul.  They were warned not to attempt to contact the visiting U.S. delegation and released.  Two days later, on June 1, International Children’s Day in China, Public Security agents severely beat Alim and Ablikim in front of their own children and forced Rushangul to call Ms. Kadeer so that she would hear the beating of her sons.     
    
In early November 2006, prior to her election as president of the German-based World Uyghur Congress (WUC), Ms. Kadeer was warned through a third party that her detained sons would suffer greatly if she were to run for the position.  Later that month, the day that Ms. Kadeer was elected as president of the WUC, Alim was sentenced to seven years in prison on charges of tax evasion and fined 500,000 yuan (USD 62,500) and Kahar was charged with tax evasion and fined 100,000 yuan (USD 12,500).   Five months later, in April 2007, Ablikim was sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment by the Intermediate People’s Court in Urumchi on charges of “instigating and engaging in secessionist activities.”