By Tahir Imin Uyghurian
October 30, 2025 | Uyghur Times
Zumrat Dawut, a well-known survivor of China’s internment camps for Uyghurs, has issued a public appeal to U.S. officials, media, and human rights advocates after learning that her 20-year-old nephew, Halmurat Helil, was detained by Chinese authorities in Uyghur region.
According to Dawut, Helil was arrested merely for pressing the “like” button on a photo of Zumrat’s son that she had shared on the Chinese social media platform Kuaishou (快手). “He did nothing wrong — he is a respectful, well-mannered young man,” Dawut said in her statement posted online.
Dawut described the recurring pain of receiving tragic news from her homeland, recalling that she learned of her elder brother’s death months after it occurred. She now pleads for international attention to save her nephew, urging journalists, researchers, and government officials to raise his case publicly.
Human rights groups have long warned that Chinese authorities continue to target Uyghurs for even minimal online interactions with relatives abroad, using digital surveillance to punish perceived dissent or foreign contact.
“I am ready at any time to speak with journalists, researchers, or government officials about this matter,” Dawut said.
