By Uyghur Times Staff
November 11, 2023 – Istanbul, Turkey
A Uyghur businessman legally residing in Istanbul was detained by Turkish special operations police along with his wife and two young children, sparking widespread concern among the Uyghur diaspora in Turkey and abroad.
Ilyas Ablikim, a 30-year-old entrepreneur originally from Ghulja in the Uyghur homeland, was arrested during a pre-dawn raid on November 10. He had been living in Turkey since 2014 and running a phone retail business in the Safaköy district of Istanbul. His wife, 28-year-old Merhaba Abdurahim, and their two children—aged six and a one-and-a-half-year-old still breastfeeding—were also detained.
Sources say the family held long-term residency permits and had applied for Turkish citizenship, passing all stages of review and awaiting final approval.
Ilyas was initially held in a police facility overnight before being transferred to the Çatalca Deportation Center and later moved to another center in Kayseri. His wife was held for three days in Safaköy before being transferred to the Selimpaşa Deportation Center. The two children were released to relatives after falling ill during their three-day detention.
Family members hired legal counsel, but no progress has been made in securing their release. Human rights organizations and Uyghur advocacy groups have been informed, including Turkish Uyghur community leader Hidayetullah Oghuzkhan, who pledged to take steps but has not yet reported any resolution.
This case follows the detention of more than ten other Uyghurs across various Turkish cities in recent weeks, all reportedly at risk of deportation to China.
Advocates urge all Uyghur organizations worldwide to raise their voices and use every available channel to prevent the forced return of these individuals, which could lead to severe persecution. The Uyghur community in exile calls for prayers and collective action for the safe release and reunification of Ilyas Ablikim and his family.
