Son of Uyghur Camp Witness Faces Imminent Deportation from Türkiye to Kazakhstan, Where He May Face Persecution

Akhmetzhan Sadyrov, the son of former Chinese concentration camp detainee and Uyghur activist Gulbahar Jalilova, is being held at Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen Airport as Türkiye moves to deport him to Kazakhstan, where human rights groups warn he faces serious risk of persecution and threats to his life.

by Uyghur Times Staff

According to multiple sources, Akhmetzhan Sadyrov, the son of former Chinese concentration camp detainee and Uyghur activist Gulbahar Jalilova, is facing imminent deportation from Türkiye to Kazakhstan, where he is believed to be at serious risk of persecution. Sadyrov, an ethnic Uyghur and a Kazakhstani citizen, is currently being held at Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen Airport and is reportedly awaiting deportation procedures.

ETHR, a Türkiye-based human rights organization advocating for the Uyghur people, shared this news on X on February 7, stating:
“Today, a tragedy of a torn-apart family is unfolding at Sabiha Gökçen Airport. Uyghur Turk Akhmetzhan Sadyrov is about to be deported from Türkiye—where he came to reunite with his family—to Kazakhstan, where his life is not safe.”

Sadyrov has been living in Türkiye since 2019 after fleeing Kazakhstan due to security concerns. His wife and two children are Turkish citizens, and he holds long-term permanent residency in Türkiye. Human rights advocates warn that deporting him would result in family separation and place him in an environment where Chinese intelligence influence is widely documented.

Observers and activists say the deportation is part of broader transnational repression efforts by the Chinese government aimed at silencing Gulbahar Jalilova, who has continued to publicly speak out about her 15 months of detention in China’s internment camps. Following her testimony, members of the Sadyrov family reportedly faced surveillance and threats from individuals linked to China while in Kazakhstan, raising serious concerns for Akhmetzhan Sadyrov’s safety if returned.

Uyghur activist Aslan Hidayet stated, “This is an effort by the Chinese government to silence his mother Gulbahar Jalilova as she has continued to speak out about her brutal experiences in Chinese detention.”

Strong reactions have also come from Turkish political figures. Selçuk Özdağ, Member of Parliament and Deputy Group Chair of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, warned that the decision could have irreversible consequences. “Türkiye must be a safe haven for those fleeing persecution,” Özdağ said. “This decision could lead to consequences that cannot be remedied. From here, I make an open call to the authorities: Immediately reverse this wrong decision.”

Protected No More, a report published by HRW last year, says “Human Rights Watch has found press reports of 33 Uyghurs who were detained at deportation centers in Türkiye between December 2018 and October 2025. The actual number is likely higher: A Türkiye-based non-governmental organization, which wishes to remain anonymous, says it documented over 100 Uyghurs held by Turkish authorities in deportation centers in 2024 alone.”