Prominent Uyghur Nationalist Leader Riza Samed Dies at 86 in Almaty

By Uyghur Times Staff

Dec. 29, 2024

Riza Samed, also known Riza Samedi, a steadfast Uyghur nationalist who dedicated his life to the struggle for Uyghur independence and freedom, passed away in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on Dec. 29, 2024, at the age of 86 due to illness. Throughout his life, Samed played a pivotal role in uniting and empowering Uyghurs during times of displacement and hardship, becoming a beacon of hope for his people.

Riza Samed was a leading figure in the Uyghur awakening and independence movements of the late 20th century, both in Kazakhstan and across the globe.

Born on March 3, 1938, in Ghulja, Samed was the son of Ziya Samed, a prominent writer and leader of the East Turkestan Republic, established in 1944. In 1961, Riza Samed emigrated to Kazakhstan alongside his father, continuing his father’s legacy of advocacy and cultural preservation among the Uyghur diaspora.

RFA Uyghur serviced reported that during a funeral prayer service in Kazakhstan’s capital Almaty, Azad Ibrahimov, head of the city’s Auezov district, told mourners that Samedi made great contributions to the development of Uyghur national media and the Uyghur nationalist movement by exposing China’s atrocities against the mostly Muslim group. “The names of national heroes like Riza Samedi will never be forgotten in the hearts of the Uyghurs,” he said.