Ilham Tohti

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Ilham Tohti
Born (1969-10-25) 25 October 1969
Artux, Xinjiang, China
Residence Beijing, China
Nationality China
Ethnicity Uyghur
Occupation Economist, blogger
Known for Economist at Central Nationalities University

Ilham Tohti (Uyghur: ئىلھام توختى‎, ULY: Ilham Toxti, UYY: Ilⱨam Tohti; Chinese: 伊力哈木·土赫提; pinyin: Yīlìhāmù Tǔhètí; born October 25, 1969) is an ethnic-Uyghur Chinese economist based in Beijing. He is known for his research on Uyghur-Han relations and is a vocal advocate for the implementation of regional autonomy laws in China, and was the host of Uyghur Online, a website that discusses Uyghur issues. Tohti was detained shortly after the July 2009 Ürümqi riots by the authorities because of his criticism of the Chinese government's policies toward Uyghurs in Xinjiang. He was later released.

Background

Tohti was born in Artush, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, on October 25, 1969,[1] the son of Mahmud Tiernan Tohti (b. January 25, 1937 in Artush, Xinjiang Uyghur) and Burhanduxt Meryem Ehlin Tohti (b. October 11, 1941 in Bole, Xinjiang Uyghur).[citation needed] He graduated from the Northeast Normal University and the Economics School at what was then called the Central Nationalities University, now named Minzu University of China, in Beijing.[1]

In 2006 Tohti founded a website called, Uyghur Online, which published articles in Chinese and Uyghur on social issues.[1][2] In mid-2008 authorities shut down the website, accusing it of forging links to extremists in the Uyghur diaspora.[2] In a March 2009 interview with Radio Free Asia, Tohti criticized the Chinese government's policy to allow migrant workers into Xinjiang Uyghur and the phenomenon of young Uyghur women moving to eastern China to find work.[2] In addition, he criticized Xinjiang Uyghur Governor Nur Bekri for "always stress[ing] the stability and security of Xinjiang" instead of "car[ing] about Uyghurs",[2] calling for a stricter interpretation of China's 1984 Regional Ethnic Autonomy Law.[1] That same month, Tohti was detained by authorities, accused of separatism, and interrogated.[1]

Detention and release

On July 5, 2009 ethnic rioting took place between Uyghurs and Han in Ürümqi, the capital of Xinjiang. The government reported that more than 150 people, mostly Han Chinese, were killed during the clashes.[1] On July 6 Uighur Online was cited in a speech by Governor Bekri as a catalyst for the violence because it had helped instigate the rioting by spreading rumors.[1][3]

On July 8, 2009, Radio Free Asia reported that Tohti's whereabouts were unknown after he had been summoned from his home in Beijing.[1] The Chinese dissident Wang Lixiong and his Tibetan activist wife Woeser started an on-line petition calling for Tohti's release,[4][5] which was signed by other dissidents including Ran Yunfei.[3] PEN American Center,[6] Amnesty International,[7] and Reporters Without Borders also issued appeals or statements of concern.[8]

Tohti was released from detention on August 23,[9] along with two other Chinese dissidents, Xu Zhiyong and Zhuang Lu, after pressure on Beijing from the administration of American President Barack Obama.[10][11] Tohti said that during his contention, he was confined to his home and a hotel with several police officers who did not treat him inhumanely.[12][13] He stated that after his release, they warned him against criticism of the government's handling of riots,[12][13] and are preventing him and his family from leaving Beijing.[14]

Chinese authorities arrested Tohti again in 2014 and removed computers from his home.[15]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 "Outspoken Economist Presumed Detained". Radio Free Asia. Retrieved July 12, 2009. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Uyghur Scholar Calls for Jobs". Radio Free Asia. Retrieved July 15, 2009. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Wong, Edward (July 15, 2009). "Intellectuals Call for Release of Uighur Economist". New York Times. Retrieved July 17, 2009. 
  4. ↑ "Chinese intellectuals call for release of Uighur". Associated Press. July 14, 2009. 
  5. ↑ "Petition for Ilham Tohti under detention presented by Wang Lixiong". Boxun News. 2009. Retrieved August 25, 2009. 
  6. ↑ "PEN Appeal: Ilham Tohti". PEN American Center. 2009. Retrieved August 25, 2009. 
  7. ↑ "Ilham Tohti". Amnesty International. 2009. Retrieved August 25, 2009. 
  8. ↑ "A month without word of detained blogger Ilham Tohti". Reporters Without Borders. 2009. Retrieved August 25, 2009. 
  9. ↑ Wines, Michael (23 August 2009). "Without Explanation, China Releases 3 Activists". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 August 2009. 
  10. ↑ John Garnaut (August 25, 2009). "Obama behind release of Chinese activists". Melbourne: The Age. Retrieved August 25, 2009. 
  11. ↑ Gady Epstein (August 24, 2009). "China's Welcome Gift for Obama?". Forbes. Archived from the original on January 24, 2013. Retrieved August 25, 2009. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Uyghur Economist Freed, Warned". Radio Free Asia. 2009. Retrieved August 31, 2009. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "RFA专访:伊力哈木•土赫提透露被软禁经历". Radio Free Asia. 2009. Retrieved August 31, 2009. 
  14. ↑ "Travel Ban Extends to Family". Radio Free Asia. 2011-02-10. Retrieved 2011-02-17. 
  15. ↑ "China police detain Uighur scholar Ilham Tohti". BBC News. 16 January 2014. Retrieved 17 January 2014. 

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