A prominent Uyghur academic, Rahile Dawut, has reportedly been sentenced to life in prison by China for “endangering state security.”
The verdict came after she appealed her 2018 conviction, as confirmed by the US-based Dui Hua Foundation.
Dawut, a 57-year-old professor, recently lost her appeal. China has faced accusations of committing crimes against humanity towards the Uyghur population and other primarily Muslim ethnic groups in Xinjiang.
Human rights organizations believe that China has detained over a million Uyghurs against their will in a vast network of so-called “re-education camps” and has imposed prison sentences on hundreds of thousands.
John Kamm, the executive director of the Dui Hua Foundation, expressed his dismay, calling Dawut’s sentencing a tragedy and a loss for the Uyghur people and for those who value academic freedom.
He urged for her immediate release and safe return to her family.
“The sentencing of Professor Rahile Dawut is a cruel tragedy, a great loss for the Uyghur people, and for all who treasure academic freedom,” said Kamm.
Dawut’s daughter, Akeda Pulati, also voiced her concern, pleading for her mother’s release.
“The thought of my innocent mother having to spend her life in prison brings unbearable pain. China, show your mercy and release my innocent mother,” she said in a statement.
Rahile Dawut, an expert in Uyghur folklore and traditions, had taught at Xinjiang University College of Humanities before her arrest. She founded the Ethnic Minorities Research Centre at the university in 2007 and conducted fieldwork across Xinjiang.
Dawut had delivered lectures at universities in the US and the UK, including Harvard and Cambridge.
Dui Hua reported that Dawut is among the growing list of Uyghur intellectuals who have been detained, arrested, and imprisoned since 2016.
The US, along with other countries, has accused China of genocide in Xinjiang, and leading human rights organizations like Amnesty and Human Rights Watch have accused China of crimes against humanity. However, China continues to deny these allegations.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Mao Ning, claimed to have no information on Ms. Dawut’s case. Xinjiang is home to approximately 12 million Uyghurs, mostly Muslims.
In 2022, the BBC obtained police files that revealed details of China’s use of “re-education camps,” which included the routine use of armed officers and a shoot-to-kill policy for those attempting to escape.
