Turkey Detains More Than 30 Uyghurs Ahead of New Year Security Campaign

Amina Sedef, Dec 29, 2025

On December 25, information circulated on some social media platforms and in Uyghur WhatsApp groups claiming that a number of Uyghurs in Turkey had been detained by the police. Some of those sharing the information were family members of the detainees, while others were Uyghur activists and individuals in various countries who closely follow the situation of Uyghurs. Among them, Norway-based activist Abduweli Ayup wrote on his X account: “In Istanbul, 31 Uyghurs were detained without any explanation. Lawyers said that between the night of December 24 and the morning of December 25, 31 Uyghurs were taken into custody by counterterrorism police units at various police stations in Istanbul. Two of the detainees whose identities are confirmed are Abdumalik Mijit and Qudret Gulja.”

On December 25, the Press and Public Relations Office of the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office issued an official statement announcing that, under the instructions of the Prosecutor’s Office’s Bureau for the Investigation of Terrorism Crimes, the Istanbul Security Directorate’s Counterterrorism Branch had conducted an investigation and obtained intelligence indicating that, ahead of the New Year, ISIS (Daesh) militants had issued calls and plans to attack non-Muslim individuals. In this context, simultaneous detention, arrest, search, and seizure operations were carried out at 124 addresses based on arrest warrants issued for 137 criminal suspects. The statement said that 115 suspects had been detained and that efforts to apprehend the remaining suspects were ongoing.

Details of the statement are shown in the image below.

“Information has been obtained indicating that the ISIS Armed Terror Organization is making action calls and planning attacks targeting our country, primarily against non-Muslim individuals, in the context of upcoming Christmas and New Year’s events. It has been determined that [the suspects] are connected to conflict zones within the scope of terrorist organization activities, and that some of them have outstanding arrest warrants at national and international levels for terrorism crimes. In this regard, simultaneous arrest, detention, search, and seizure operations were carried out at 124 different addresses across Istanbul province targeting 137 suspects. As a result, pistols, cartridges, and numerous organizational documents were seized.”

115 of the suspects have been apprehended, and operations continue for the suspects who could not be captured.”

A woman whose husband was detained and who requested anonymity told Uyghur Post: “We came to Turkey in 2013 and live in the Safaköy district of Istanbul. My husband worked in a garment factory. Around 1 a.m. on December 24, armed police raided our home and took my husband away. We still have no information. We have three children; the oldest is nine years old and the youngest is three. When the police raided the house, my children were terrified. Since that day, they have had fevers and cannot sleep well, and they have not been able to go to school. I cannot get any news about my husband, nor can I take my children to the doctor. I sit here at a loss, not knowing what to do.”

Another woman whose husband was detained, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “We came to Turkey in 2014 and have lived here for 11 years. We live in Safaköy, Istanbul, and have six children. My husband is engaged in business and has never committed any crime. At around 2 a.m. on December 25, armed police raided our home and took my husband away. The children were very frightened.”

Such actions targeting Uyghurs in Turkey have occurred repeatedly in the past. Although detainees are often released after a period of time, some have had their temporary residence permits revoked, while others have been assigned a G87 code, requiring them to report to immigration offices weekly or monthly to sign in. This has caused serious difficulties in their normal work and daily lives. In addition, those assigned a G87 code or previously detained for a period have been unable to obtain Turkish citizenship.

To better understand these situations, a Uyghur Post reporter interviewed Istanbul-based lawyer Cevlan Şir. He explained: “After the terrorist attack on the Reina nightclub in Istanbul on New Year’s Eve in 2016, large-scale security sweeps have been carried out every year in Turkey ahead of the New Year. The primary targets are ISIS terrorist members, many of whom are migrants, including Uyghurs. In recent days, I have been closely involved with the detention and legal proceedings of those arrested in this round. Based on what I have learned from the police and other lawyers, more than 150 people were detained on December 24 and 25, including between 30 and 35 Uyghurs. While a small number of detainees may have links to ISIS, most have no connection whatsoever and even oppose and despise the group. So why are they detained? There are several reasons.

“First, carelessness on social media: some individuals unknowingly add people who promote ISIS propaganda as friends on platforms like Facebook, like or share their posts, or join WhatsApp groups created by them. Second, financial dealings with ISIS supporters: this accounts for a significant portion of the detainees. Among Uyghurs, there are various WhatsApp groups used for currency exchange. For convenience, people sometimes exchange dollars, euros, or Turkish lira among themselves rather than through banks or official exchange offices, or purchase goods through such groups. In these cases, individuals may unknowingly send or receive money from accounts linked to ISIS members or persons deemed suspicious by authorities, thereby becoming suspects themselves. Third, the use of second-hand mobile phones: if phones previously used by terrorism suspects are not properly wiped, residual data, videos, or images may remain and be discovered during police investigations. Fourth, failure to register home addresses: many Uyghurs rent housing and move frequently. If they fail to update their registered address, discrepancies arise, or if previous occupants of a residence were suspects, current residents may be detained during police operations. Fifth, individuals engaged in espionage for China may also be detained. In such cases, authorities often handle them under terrorism-related charges rather than publicly announcing espionage accusations. Sixth, individuals previously released under conditions may be detained again if they fail to comply with requirements such as regular reporting or notifying authorities when moving to a new area or city.”

We also interviewed Abduweli Ayup about the impact of these detentions on the Uyghur diaspora, the families of detainees, and the psychological state of Uyghurs in Turkey. He said: “Detaining Uyghurs in midnight raids by Turkish counterterrorism forces ahead of the New Year severely undermines their sense of security and their ability to welcome the New Year with peace of mind. Like all people, Uyghurs hope the New Year brings fresh beginnings, good fortune, and safety. Uyghurs in Turkey already feel insecure due to China–Turkey relations, the growing influence of pro-China organizations in Turkey, and the increasing ability of the Chinese embassy to threaten Uyghurs here. Now, seeing Uyghurs—who fled China to Turkey, which they consider a second homeland, after suffering ethnic persecution and arbitrary imprisonment under the pretext of ‘counterterrorism’—being detained in Turkey in a manner reminiscent of nighttime arrests in East Turkestan deeply damages Uyghurs’ affection for Turkey and causes profound distress. There is a Uyghur saying: ‘A stranger’s harm touches the body, a relative’s harm touches the soul.’ Such treatment is far more painful when it occurs in Turkey than in other countries.

“I strongly condemn armed police raids and detentions carried out in homes in front of family members without arrest or search warrants. Among those detained are at least four people I know who have obtained Turkish citizenship, including Jür’et Gulja, the head of an organization. Detaining such individuals as suspects without evidence or warrants tarnishes Turkey’s image as a country governed by the rule of law. Moreover, Uyghurs in Turkey are already under severe economic pressure. Detentions based on suspicion impose additional burdens, including legal fees, loss of employment, and hardships faced by families left without support. For people already struggling to survive, this is a devastating blow.”

Lawyer Cevlan Şir emphasized that Uyghurs in Turkey must be extremely cautious, comply strictly with the law in social and economic interactions, avoid carelessness, and take steps to ensure that neither they nor their families become entangled in such suspicions.

This report was first published in Uyghur Post and subsequently translated into English and published in Uyghur Times.