Why Istanbul’s Taklimakan Uyghur Bookstore Couldn’t Survive

A once-vital hub of Uyghur literature closes amid declining readership, financial strain, and a growing cultural crisis in exile.

By Muhammad Abdumijit

Nov 5, 2025

The Taklimakan Bookstore in Istanbul, which published and distributed nearly 600 works across various fields and genres by hundreds of authors over the past six years, is set to close due to sharply declining market demand and insufficient community support. Bookstore founder Abdjelil Turan described his experience in the publishing world as one of “loneliness.” The closure reflects not only a crisis facing the exiled Uyghur community in terms of identity and literature, but also raises serious concerns within the broader publishing sector.

In a phone interview with Uyghur Post, Turan directly linked the decision to the collapse of market interest. “For nearly a year, the demand for books has essentially disappeared; we would go days without a single visitor,” he said. “Since I have been covering the rent myself for the last year, I was forced to close.”

He emphasized that the bookstore was never a commercial venture. “The purpose of opening this bookstore was not trade, but to help preserve Uyghur literary and cultural life in exile. Had demand continued and people’s enthusiasm for books remained strong, I would have kept going despite the economic pressures.”

Turan said the Taklimakan imprint directly or indirectly published around 300 titles written in exile. Another 300 titles—originally published in the homeland—were digitally reprinted and distributed upon request, bringing the total to approximately 600. He stressed that these reprints were done strictly for non-commercial purposes and in full respect of the original publishers’ copyrights.

Writer and translator Abdurehim Dölet, known for translating The Clash of Civilizations and 1984, as well as authoring Our Culture and Existence, confirmed that these works were re-published abroad with Turan’s support. Dölet added that Turan published more than 20 titles for his ongoing “100 Masterpieces” project and sold them at the Taklimakan Bookstore.

The Taklimakan Bookstore became widely recognized as a multi-faceted institution contributing to the advancement of Uyghur literature and culture in exile. Turan summarized its roles: “First, it provided a direct publishing opportunity for writers in exile who wanted to publish in their mother tongue. Second, it was not just a sales point—it functioned as a study and research center. It served as a trusted archive for master’s and doctoral students, as well as for foreign scholars researching Uyghur literature, culture, language, and history. Finally, every Uyghur visitor, especially young people, had the chance to physically experience a mother-tongue environment.”

Writer Abdurehim Dölet praised the bookstore’s significance. “It is nearly impossible to find a master’s or doctoral student in Turkey studying Uyghur history, literature, or linguistics who has not consulted Hajim Abdjelil Turan,” he said. “I personally received enormous help from him while writing my dissertation. For example, I obtained difficult-to-find primary sources—such as Muhammet Elem Akhun’s Khotan Tazkirisi and Muhammet Zerf Karajim’s History of Ferghana and Kashgar—through him. I believe every researcher in the social and religious fields has benefited from the Taklimakan Bookstore and from Hajim.”

Asked about the biggest non-financial stressor, Turan explained: “I did not face political or intellectual property pressure. The greatest challenge was human cooperation: loneliness in publishing and the scarcity of collaborators. Even among those who did help, responsibility was low. For translation work, which was once done voluntarily, it is now difficult to find someone who will do meticulous, high-quality work—even when paid. The burden of the work fell entirely on my shoulders. This loneliness created more pressure than the financial strain.”

Mother-tongue advocate Abduweli Ayup also highlighted the extreme challenges faced by the bookstore in exile, publishing and self-distributing books under the name “Taklimakan Uyghur Publishing House.”

Dölet noted that while the closure of Taklimakan and similar Uyghur-language bookstores may appear to be merely the end of a business, it actually reveals the spiritual condition of a nation and its attitude toward its cultural needs. Citing the earlier closures of Hira Bookstore and Satuq Bughra Khan Bookstore, he argued that the underlying cause is a lack of national support.

“In Turkey, where we believe there are at least 40 to 50 thousand Uyghurs—and over 15,000 in Istanbul—the closure of these bookstores is a harsh blow to the entire diaspora,” Dölet said. “This shows that the slogan of preserving Uyghur culture and identity is, in practice, hollow, and that our nation is living by the philosophy of ‘resting the stump until the axe falls.’ If we focus only on physical needs and neglect our spiritual ones, we drift toward an animalistic state. The closing of bookstores—and Uyghurs’ failure to read—means we are indirectly supporting China’s genocidal policies in the homeland and becoming complicit in our own destruction.”

The news triggered mixed reactions in the diaspora. Netizen Almas Haji expressed sadness: “Several Uyghur bookstores located in Istanbul’s narrow streets have been closing one after another, and finally only the Taklimakan Uyghur Bookstore remained. Now this one has closed too. Because this bookstore was connected to the Taklimakan Uyghur Publishing House, it held great significance for Uyghurs in exile.”

Dölet warned that the closure deprives researchers, writers, and readers of an essential reference source. He said the psychological impact is severe, and weak community support risks discouraging writers and researchers. He emphasized that all cultural workers need support; without it, they lose spiritual energy, leading to a serious decline in research and writing.

Following the announcement, activist and head of the Uyghur Development Fund, Rizwangul Nurmuhemmet, expressed regret and urged the Uyghur diaspora to work collectively to preserve publishing houses and schools. She called the closure a “great loss,” warning, “If we Uyghurs do not support each other, we will fall one by one.”

Asked about the unsold inventory, Turan explained: “Although the Taklimakan Bookstore has closed, the Taklimakan Uyghur Publishing House remains active and will continue its publishing work. A benevolent Uyghur in Istanbul has provided temporary storage space for the unsold books. Anyone in Istanbul who needs books can arrange a pickup, and we can also mail them to others through postal or alternative delivery channels.”

Turan concluded the interview by urging writers in exile to continue their work. “If writers have books to publish, they can still contact me,” he said. “Even if circulation is small, we will digitally print and distribute them based on demand. The closure of the bookstore must not discourage our writer friends; writers must be more responsible and continue using their pens. If we claim to preserve Uyghur culture, Uyghur literature, and ultimately Uyghur identity, we must keep writing—writing is the best way to achieve that.”

Since 2010, the Uyghur population in Turkey has grown, leading to the establishment of several bookstores, including Satuq Bughra Khan Bookstore, Hira Bookstore, Taklimakan Bookstore, and Kutadgu Bilig Bookstore. However, Hira Bookstore closed in March 2021, and Satuq Bughra Khan Bookstore closed on December 1, 2023, for undisclosed reasons. Turan said the Taklimakan Uyghur Bookstore, supported by a legally registered publishing house of the same name, opened in 2017 but was forced to close in November 2025 for similar reasons.

This essay is an English translation of a piece originally published in the Uyghur edition of the Uyghur Post.

Muhammed Abdumijit is an editor and correspondent for the Uyghur Post. He writes investigative reports on the international community’s stance on the Uyghur issue and on cultural phenomena in the diaspora. He holds a master’s degree in media and communication studies and lives in Norway.