Turkey’s Silence over the Uyghur Issue

Around 50 thousands of Uyghur people are estimated to live in Turkey- the Diaspora largest outside of Central Asia. Uyghur people share ethnic, linguistic and religious bonds with the Turkish people. Thus, Turkey should naturally be the most outspoken country about the persecution of the people living in Uyghur area in China. However, the country has kept quiet with regard to the atrocious Chinese repression of the Uyghur community in Xinjiang in China. As international condemnation increases over the China’s crackdown of the Uyghur minority, a growing number of experts and activists are criticizing Turkey over what they call Ankara’s deliberate silence influenced by China’s economic and political influence.

Nevertheless, it has not dampened the spirit of Uyghurs in Turkey who continue to highlight human rights violations committed by Chinese authorities in Xinjiang where at least 1 million Uyghurs, according to the UN, have been illegally detained in so-called ‘re-education centres’. On January 04, 2021, Uyghurs in Turkey demanded the closure of “concentration camps” in China and filed a criminal complaint accusing Chinese officials of genocide and other crimes in Xinjiang Autonomous Region.

Uyghur families, including volunteer Turkish lawyers, gathered at the Istanbul Court of Justice and held banners that read: “Where are our families?” and “China, free my brother”.

A total of 112 people, consisting of Chinese political officials, “concentration camp” directors, police officers, domestic security personnel and administrators, were reported to the prosecutor’s office. Photographs of Chinese officials, against whom criminal complaints were filed, were laid on the ground during the protest. The complaint to the judiciary also included crimes against Uyghur people, who took Turkish nationality, within the framework of universal jurisdiction based on the Turkish Penal Code.

Uyghurs living in Turkey have criticized Ankara’s approach to China after the two nations signed an extradition treaty in March 2021. Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu had then said that the deal was similar to those Turkey has with other states and denied it would lead to Uyghurs being sent back to China. However, his claim turned out to be hollow when Abdulgani Tohti, a Uyghur, who lived in Zeytinburnu, Istanbul, was arrested on the night of November 19, 2021. He was taken by the Turkish police from his house. On November 27, 2021, the Istanbul court issued a decision to extradite Abdulgani Tohti to China. Besides, during the summer of 2019, when Turkish authorities decided to send back several thousand illegal immigrants, among them was a whole Uyghur family, deported to Tajikistan whence it was extradited to China.

Ankara has more than once distanced itself from the Uyghur associations operating in Turkey. Beijing’s growing economic leverage over Ankara means Turkish officials are afraid that any strong position toward Xinjiang will likely cost the Turkish economy even as China escalates its campaign against Uyghur community. Today, Turkish-Uyghur camaraderie is largely outweighed by political, security and economic considerations between Turkey and China.

hussainmd02@protonmail.com