At the program in the Taksim Mosque Culture and Arts Center, Kılınç described the situation in East Turkistan.

Yeni Şafak writer Taha Kılınç stated that the Muslim population in East Turkistan faces serious obstructions, that mosques are closed, headscarves are banned, and tombs have been razed to the ground.

October 14, 2025

The launch of Kılınç's work, "In the Footsteps of a Lost Geography: An East Turkistan Travelogue," published by Ketebe Publishing, was held at the Taksim Mosque Culture and Arts Center with a program titled "Not a distant land, but an imminent test."

Stating that he wrote the book after traveling to East Turkistan, Kılınç said, "Unfortunately, we found the mosques closed; we couldn't pray in them. Unfortunately, we saw that the headscarves of Muslim women were being severely restricted on the streets." Saying, "Let's share this pain together," Kılınç drew attention to the centuries-long struggle for existence of the people of East Turkistan, and noted the following:

"Today in East Turkistan, the minarets of mosques are being dismantled, tombs are being razed to the ground, and cemeteries are being destroyed. The headscarf is banned, and those who worship are placed under surveillance. A nation's memory is being systematically erased. This book is the silent witness to this destruction."

I DID NOT HEAR THE CALL TO PRAYER

Kılınç, who stated that his journey lasted 8 days, said:

"As a Muslim, within the scope of my own testimony, I am saying that I did not hear the call to prayer. Imagine, Hotan is one of the most devout, most religious cities in East Turkistan. During our stay, in these cities where the Muslim population is at least seventy percent in the city center, I did not see a single woman wearing a headscarf on the street."