At a time when the voice of East Turkistan was being stifled, one intellectual refused to remain silent. Prof. Dr. Ilham Tohti was sentenced to life imprisonment for demanding peace and equality. He spoke for his people, fought for justice, and paid the price with his liberty.
Journalist and Author Halis Özdemir writes:
“Freedom for the East Turkistani Intellectual – Ilham Tohti”
Prof. Dr. Ilham Tohti, who has been waging a struggle for freedom and peace in East Turkistan, has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Communist Chinese regime.
We often face the question, "What can we do for East Turkistan?" Now, to our academics who wish to contribute, here is your chance: Please join the caravan of "Freedom for Ilham Tohti" by adding your signature.
Tohti, who sought a solution through peaceful means, was punished with life imprisonment even under "Chinese laws."
Because China wants neither peace nor a resolution; China's aim is the total occupation of East Turkistan and the elimination of the Muslim Turkic people. Thus, by imprisoning the Uyghur intellectual Tohti, they sought to silence this voice of truth.
Describing himself as a "Turkistan freedom fighter," Tohti explains his struggle as follows:
"I spoke and struggled for my nation. I expressed my ideas and views for common peace and China's future. I do not know how or how long my prison life will continue, but my trust in Allah is complete. I have never feared what will happen to me, and I will not fear from now on."
While genocide continues in East Turkistan, the struggle for existence persists.
Communist China has committed, and continues to commit, all manners of oppression against the Muslim Turks in East Turkistan.
Unfortunately, humanity remains silent. Today, China is openly conducting ethnic cleansing and forced assimilation in East Turkistan. Leaving aside freedom of speech, it has become impossible for the people to preserve and live by their religion, language, and culture.
International independent organizations are revealing to the world that children are forcibly taken from their parents to be assimilated and raised as Chinese; men and women alike are thrown into camps where they are subjected to unimaginable torture, including rape and organ trafficking, while survivors are exploited as slave labor.
East Turkistani diaspora members continue their struggle for freedom in various parts of the world.
The "Isa Yusuf Alptekin Foundation" (İYAV), the "Turkish World Research Foundation" (TDAV), and the "Ilham Tohti Initiative" (İTİH)—groups that have supported this cause from Turkey for years—have organized a special event for Ilham Tohti, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in Chinese dungeons 11 years ago. The aim of the event is to nominate Tohti for the "Nobel Peace Prize," to secure the release of Tohti (detained since 2014), and to explain the East Turkistan cause to a wider audience.
Tohti struggled in the academic and civil spheres for the actual implementation of China's "Regional Ethnic Autonomy Law" in East Turkistan. His only "crime" was being a peace activist. The potential for Tohti to emerge as a high-potential leader in the future may have also been a factor in his detention.
Born into a Uyghur family in Artush on October 25, 1969, Tohti was educated in economics and served as a lecturer at several Chinese universities.
Through the website he founded, "Uighurbiz," he advocated for peace and equality within the framework of constitutional rights in East Turkistan. However, China was disturbed by Tohti's activities, detained him on January 15, 2014, and imprisoned him on charges of "separatism." On September 23, 2014, he was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Xinjiang High People's Court, and all his assets were confiscated.
International human rights organizations have declared to the world that Ilham Tohti was punished solely for exercising his rights to peaceful expression and academic freedom. The international community emphasizes that Tohti is a "prisoner of conscience" and demands his unconditional release.
Tohti's struggle is not only for himself but for the protection of the rights, culture, identity, and human rights of the Muslim Turks in East Turkistan.
Tohti summarizes his belief as follows:
"I am a Uyghur intellectual, and my love for my people is very deep. It is impossible for me to remain silent about my people's suffering. There are articles regarding autonomy in the Chinese constitution, but there is still a long way to go for their implementation. I believe that a solution can be found through peace and mutual understanding."
Those who closely observe his work emphasize that this injustice against Tohti is noteworthy as it demonstrates that China targets not only those accused of violence in East Turkistan but also moderate individuals who come forward with peaceful demands.
Genocide and oppression in East Turkistan are still ongoing.
In a letter written after his life sentence, Ilham Tohti wrote:
"I spoke and struggled for my nation. I expressed my ideas for peace and China's future. My trust in Allah is complete. I believe that our rights will definitely be granted one day. Peace and freedom are gifts from Allah. Be strong, do not ruin yourselves, and God willing, we will be together again in the near future."
Striving to end this oppression is the duty not only of Muslim Turks but of all humanity.
Previous attempts to nominate Ilham Tohti for the "Nobel Peace Prize" remained inconclusive. Now, the goal is to submit a new application for the "2026 Nobel Peace Prize." Tohti has received numerous international awards to date, has been nominated for the Nobel five times, and has ranked among the top five candidates.
Since only academics can vote in this initiative, the support of academics is of great importance.
Come on, join the caravan of "Freedom for Prof. Dr. Ilham Tohti"!
(You can contact the "Isa Yusuf Alptekin Foundation - İYAV" for this purpose.)
Consent to oppression is oppression.
The silence of the oppressed only emboldens the oppressor.
Peace be upon you...
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