Ghojaniyaz Yollugh Tekin, Uyghur Historian Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison

Ghojaniyaz Yollugh Tekin, a 59-year-old Uyghur historian and expert on Uyghur place names, is serving a 17-year prison sentence for his research and writings, according to sources familiar with his case.

Tekin, formerly an educator at the Aksu Education Institute in northern part of Uyghur region, focused on Uyghur toponymy—the study of the linguistic development and historical origins of place names. A police officer in Tekin’s home village in Uchturpan County told Radio Free Asia that he is currently held in Hotan, roughly 500 kilometers south of Aksu city.

He was detained in 2017 during China’s large-scale crackdown on Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples in the region. Tekin’s imprisonment in late 2018 was reportedly linked to his writings and statements emphasizing that Uyghurs are part of the broader Turkic world rather than Chinese, according to researcher Abduweli Ayup.

Tekin’s detention reflects a broader campaign affecting an estimated 1.8 million Uyghurs, including intellectuals, educators, cultural figures, and business leaders, who were sent to so-called “re-education” camps.

Harassment and Professional Recognition

Tekin was active in Uyghur intellectual circles, attending and hosting discussions on history and culture. Tuyghun Abduweli, a friend and activist now in Canada, said Chinese authorities often harassed Tekin due to his research on Uyghur historical connections with the Turkic world. Colleagues compared him to Turghun Almas, a 20th-century historian who challenged China’s narrative of Uyghur history.

Throughout his career, Tekin hosted and engaged with prominent Uyghur intellectuals, including Almas, Abdurehim Otkur, Nizamidin Huseyin, and Abdullah Talip.

Turanism and Early Challenges

In the late 1980s, Tekin published an article titled “East Turkistan, West Turkistan, and the Concept of Turan” in an Aksu newspaper. The article drew attention among Uyghurs and Chinese authorities. “Turan” refers to a historical Central Asian region and a movement aiming to unite Turkic and related peoples across Eurasia. Following the article, Tekin was suspended from teaching and faced repeated interrogations and detentions over the following decades.

In 2018, he was labeled a “stubborn separatist” for continuing his research and advocacy on Uyghur history, which led to his imprisonment in a re-education camp. Chinese authorities have described these facilities as vocational training centers and claim they are no longer operational. However, former detainees and independent reports describe political indoctrination, physical abuse, sexual assault, and forced sterilizations.

The Chinese government has targeted Uyghur academics and intellectuals specializing in Uyghur history, culture, language, and folklore, aiming to suppress Uyghur cultural identity. Notable figures affected include Ilham Tohti, Abduqadir Jalalidin, Rahile Dawut, Yalqun Rozi, Arslan Abdulla, and many others.

Summarized based on the article published by RFA. Credit: Shohret Hoshur / Radio Free Asia (RFA Uyghur)