Abdurehim Heyit (
Uyghur
Uyghur may refer to:
* Uyghurs, a Turkic ethnic group living in Eastern and Central Asia (West China)
** Uyghur language, a Turkic language spoken primarily by the Uyghurs
*** Old Uyghur language, a different Turkic language spoken in the Uyghur K ...
: ئابدۇرېھىم ھېيىت; born 1962) is a
Uyghur
Uyghur may refer to:
* Uyghurs, a Turkic ethnic group living in Eastern and Central Asia (West China)
** Uyghur language, a Turkic language spoken primarily by the Uyghurs
*** Old Uyghur language, a different Turkic language spoken in the Uyghur K ...
folk singer and composer. The Uyghur people are a
Turkic language
The Turkic languages are a language family of more than 35 documented languages, spoken by the Turkic peoples of Eurasia from Eastern Europe and Southern Europe to Central Asia, East Asia, North Asia (Siberia), and West Asia. The Turkic langua ...
-speaking group and a spokesman for the Turkish foreign ministry described Abdurehim as a "distinguished poet".
["China's treatment of Uighurs is 'embarrassment for humanity', says Turkey", ''The Guardian'', 10 February 2019](_blank)
Retrieved 10 February 2019
In February 2019, Turkish government sources reported that he had died in custody in China, but this claim was contradicted by Chinese sources. This incident led to a short term crisis in the
Chinese-Turkish relations. In July 2019 Chinese government confirmed he was under arrest but "in good health", and shortly afterward he was interviewed by Turkish journalists in
Urumçi.
Biography
Abdurehim was renowned for his performances on the ''
dutar
The ''dutar'' (also ''Dotara, dotar''; ; ; ; ; ; ; ) is a traditional Iranian long-necked two-stringed lute found in Iran and Central Asia.
Its name comes from the Persian language, Persian word for "two strings", دوتار ''do tār'' (< � ...
'', a two-stringed traditional instrument. He studied music in
Beijing
Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...
and performed with national arts troupes in China. In March 2017, he was arrested and imprisoned, reportedly after performing a song, "Fathers", based on a traditional Uyghur poem calling on younger generations to respect the sacrifices of their forefathers and containing a reference to the "martyrs of war". He was reportedly serving an eight-year sentence.
Reported death
It was reported, initially by Turkish media, that he died in custody in
Ürümqi
Ürümqi, , is the capital of the Xinjiang, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in Northwestern China. With a census population of 4 million in 2020, Ürümqi is the second-largest city in China's northwestern interior after Xi'an, also the ...
on 9 February 2019, after being
torture
Torture is the deliberate infliction of severe pain or suffering on a person for reasons including corporal punishment, punishment, forced confession, extracting a confession, interrogational torture, interrogation for information, or intimid ...
d. He was reportedly being held in a detention camp on an eight-year sentence. His death was not officially confirmed, but the reports led to the
Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs () is the governmental body responsible for conducting foreign relations of the Republic of Turkey. The Ministry is responsible for Turkey's diplomatic missions abroad as well as providing support for Turkish c ...
objecting to the treatment of ethnic Uyghurs in the
Xinjiang
Xinjiang,; , SASM/GNC romanization, SASM/GNC: Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Sinkiang, officially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is an Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region of the China, People' ...
province of China, describing them as "great shame for humanity" and noting the "systematic assimilation policy of Chinese authorities against the Uighur Turks is a great embarrassment for humanity".
[ This incident led to a short term crisis in the Chinese-Turkish relations,] and China has responded that Turkey's comments are "completely unacceptable". With the exception of Turkey's statement, there has been little public condemnation from Muslim majority countries; analysts believe their complacency may be due to a fear of economic and political consequences.
On 10 February, Chinese state media
The mass media in the People's Republic of China primarily consists of television, newspapers, radio, and magazines. Since the start of the 21st century, the Internet has also emerged as an important form of mass media and is under the direct ...
released a video claiming to show Abdurehim on that day, with the man shown stating that he was in "good health" and that he was "in the process of being investigated for allegedly violating national laws". The US-based NED-funded Uyghur Human Rights Project
The Uyghur Human Rights Project ( zh, s=维吾尔人权项目, ; abbreviated UHRP) is a research-based advocacy organization located in Washington, D.C. that promotes human rights for Uyghurs. According to the UHRP, its main goal is "promoting hu ...
questioned the authenticity of the video, which has been labelled as "unverified" by international press. Magnus Fiskesjo, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Asian Studies at Cornell University
Cornell University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson W ...
, stated that the recording appeared to be scripted and showed similar signs to confessions in which the subjects had been threatened or tortured.Erin Handley, Michael Li, "'Dead' Uyghur poet Abdurehim Heyit appears on Chinese state media, says he's 'never been abused'", ''ABC News'', 11 February 2019
Retrieved 11 February 2019
Release and second disappearance
As of November 2019, World Uyghur Congress
The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) is a international organization of exiled Uyghur groups that claims to "represent the collective interest of the Uyghur people" both inside and outside of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's ...
reported that he had been released and was under house arrest
House arrest (also called home confinement, or nowadays electronic monitoring) is a legal measure where a person is required to remain at their residence under supervision, typically as an alternative to imprisonment. The person is confined b ...
, but "his whereabouts remain unknown."
On July 25, 2019, journalist Gökhan Karakaş from Milliyet
''Milliyet'' ( Turkish for "''nationality''") is a daily newspaper published in Istanbul, Turkey.
History and profile
''Milliyet'' came to publishing life at the Nuri Akça press in Babıali, Istanbul as a daily private newspaper on 3 May 1950 ...
found Abdurehim Heyit in Urumçi and interviewed him with the permission of Chinese Communist Party official . On the same day, Turkish newspaper Aydınlık
''Aydınlık'' ("Clarify" or "Enlightenment" in Turkish) is the newspaper of the Patriotic Party (''Vatan Partisi''). Originally launched as a weekly newspaper in 1921, it has been repeatedly closed and relaunched, most recently in 2011.
Histo ...
interviewed him in his house in the capital city.
See also
*List of people who disappeared
{{Short description, Lists of people of unknown locations and statusLists of people who disappeared include those whose current whereabouts are unknown, or whose deaths are unsubstantiated:
Many people who disappear are eventually declared dead ' ...
References
External links
Official statement by Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 10 February 2019
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heyit, Abdurehim
1963 births
2010s missing person cases
Chinese prisoners and detainees
Enforced disappearances in China
Uyghur human rights activists
Uyghur musicians
Uyghur poets
Persecution of Uyghurs