Editorial: Turkey Must Guarantee Protection for Uyghur Refugees

Nov 15, 2025

For decades, Türkiye has been a place of refuge for Uyghurs fleeing persecution in China. Today, that promise is steadily eroding. As documented by Human Rights Watch, arbitrary “restriction codes,” sudden cancellations of residency permits, and opaque administrative decisions have pushed thousands of Uyghur refugees and migrants into legal limbo. Many are barred from traveling, working, or even registering their children for school. Some live under the constant fear of detention and deportation.

Uyghur Times has itself documented more than 100 cases in which Uyghurs disappeared, were detained without explanation, and later released after a week, a month, or longer. Families are left in anguish, without information or legal recourse. This is not what Uyghurs expected to face in a brotherly country like Türkiye.

It has been clearly proven that Uyghurs do not harm Türkiye. On the contrary, they benefit the country culturally, politically, and economically. Bound to Turks by deep historical and cultural ties, they are not a burden but an asset. Yet today, they must struggle for the same basic immigration status and safety granted to other refugees.

These practices violate the principle of non-refoulement and Türkiye’s legal obligations. Brotherhood must be more than words. Türkiye must end arbitrary detentions, lift discriminatory codes, and guarantee protection for Uyghur refugees. Safeguarding them is not charity. It is a moral duty.