The recent letter purporting to be hand written and signed by 12 members of Rebiya Kadeer’s extended family follows nearly a decade of police pressure on Ms. Kadeer’s family, friends and associates. Several signatories–including son Kahar, brother Memet, and daughter Roxingul–have been detained, convicted, or otherwise pressured by Xinjiang police in recent years.
In May 2005, Human Rights Watch reported “a politically motivated crackdown against the family and associates of Rebiya Kadeer,” who served five years of an eight year term for revealing state secrets and who currently heads the World Uyghur Congress. One targeted family member, son Ablikim, was arrested along with Ms. Kadeer in 1999 and sentenced to a two year term of reeducation through labor. The 2005 HRW report states that Ablikim evaded later efforts by the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau to arrest him, but that police had “beaten and detained several of her family’s associates.”
In August 2005, Radio Free Asia reported that a special police unit had been established to monitor Ms. Kadeer’s connections and business interests in Xinjiang. The RFA report states that an officer with the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau confirmed the new unit, known as “Number 307 Office.”
An April 2006 article in Radio Free Asia reported that sons Kahar Abdureyim, Ablikim Abdureyim, and Alim Abdureyim were arrested in Xinjiang. Kahar is reportedly one of 12 individuals who signed the July 24, 2009 letter reproaching Ms. Kadeer for involvement in “separatism.”
In June 2006, police pressure on Ms. Kadeer’s family spiked sharply, according to a report by the Uyghur American Association. Son Kahar was charged with tax evasion; Ablikim Abdurehim was charged with subversion of state power; Alim Abdurehim was charged with tax evasion and splitting the state; and Ms. Kadeer’s daughter Roxingul Abdurehim and brother Memet Kadeer were placed under house arrest for suspicion of security and economic crimes. (More info here.)
A November 2006 press release by Xinhua announced that two of Ms. Kadeer’s sons, Alim and Kahar, were sentenced for tax evasion. Alim received a seven year sentence and RMB 500,000 fine for evading just over RMB 200,000 in taxes. Kahar was convicted of evading RMB 2.5 million, roughly 12.5 times more than Alim, but was not sentenced to prison. The Xinhua report stated that Kahar was “exempted from jail” and imposed (only) a RMB 100,000 fine. Kahar is reportedly a signatory of the July 24, 2009 letter to Ms. Kadeer.
In April 2007, son Ablikim received nine years imprisonment and three years deprivation of political rights for “instigating and engaging in secessionist activities,” according to a press release by the Uyghur American Association.
This sequence of events culminated most recently in a handwritten letter, reported on The New Dominion here, by 12 members of Ms. Kadeer’s family. At least three signatories have been the subject of police pressure. The extent to which pressure has been exerted on the remaining nine is uncertain at present.
Comments 6
Except the tax evasion case where there’s no evidence to suggest a political motivated persecution, all the other reports are from organizations known to be closely linked to the ET movement — as well as known to be at least as casual as the Chinese government in their relationship to facts.
Posted 05 Aug 2009 at 2:29 am ¶You make very fair points. At this point there is a great deal of uncertainty surrounding a good number of “facts” being floated about. For this reason, we are left with little to do but piece together constellations of facts and begin the discussion.
Given that a family member is in prison, however, a statement by family members supporting the government should be taken with a grain of salt — particularly those who may have incentive to placate law enforcement.
Also, tax evasion prosecutions in China are only selectively carried out. That is, there’s a lot more tax evasion than prosecution. It’s not unreasonable to be somewhat skeptical about the tax evasion prosecution of family members of a political dissident.
Posted 05 Aug 2009 at 2:43 am ¶Any prosecution in China is carried out selectively — but then again, it’s the same (though to a lesser degree) in any other country. Basically, the prosecution — or the decision against it — of any person anywhere with some political significance automatically carries certain amount of extra-judicial considerations with it.
Posted 06 Aug 2009 at 12:10 am ¶@wgj,
don’t you find it the SLIGHTEST bit suspicious that Alim, Ablikim and Rushangul were detained immediately after Rebiya Kadeer was elected president of the Uyghur American Association in 2006, and that Alim and Kahar were sentenced immediately after she was elected president of the World Uyghur Congress in November 2006?
Also, it is important to note that Alim was originally charged with both “splittism” and tax evasion. It is unclear at which point the charges of “splittism” were dropped, but Chinese authorities know that political charges garner more sympathy in the international community.
Posted 06 Aug 2009 at 8:30 am ¶Here are some facts:
- UAA receives funding from US government (via Congressionally mandated/funded NED)
- HRW is also sponsored by the NED
- VOA/RFA are our “Xinhua”, as they are under the BBG
You see, all these propaganda are funded by my tax dollar. You are welcome.
Posted 07 Aug 2009 at 11:37 pm ¶What I don’t understand about alleged “selective” prosecution is so what?
If I engage in activities that draw attention to me, resulting in my record being examined, and they found that I killed, robbed, and stolen – then I am guilty of killing, robbing, and stealing. There is no excuse for that. I am guilty!
Now … I understand that on a policy level, there is something to be said about selective prosecution, which will inflame, build distrust, and lead to social instabilities.
But on a personal level – if you are caught then you are caught. Tough luck!
Posted 08 Aug 2009 at 3:39 am ¶Trackbacks & Pingbacks 1
[...] evidence against Ms. Kadeer, or as an example of the extent and power of police pressure. One source on this topic reports, “Several signatories–including son Kahar, brother Memet, and daughter [...]