Tahir Imin
Tahir Imin (born 1981) is an Uyghur activist, journalist and former political prisoner. An ethnic Uyghur, he has actively promoting Uyghur culture. He had been imprisoned twice by the Chinese government due to his involvement in Uyghur cultural and religious activities.
In 2017, he was forced to leave his homeland and eventually moved to the United States. When he told the international media about the experiences and abuses the Uyghur people endured at the hands of the Chinese government, the Chinese government retaliated against him by imprisoning his family members, forcing his wife to divorce him, and not allowing him to contact his daughter.
He continued to speak out against the Chinese government. He was interviewed by major international media agencies. He founded Uighur Times, a news agency that focus on news from the Uyghur homeland and Uyghur communities.
Activism in China[edit]
Early Activism and Imprisonment[edit]
Tahir Imin studied Islamic religion and Arabic in an underground religious school after graduating from high school. He later taught at a religious center banned by the Chinese government. When the religious center was discovered by the Chinese police, Tahir was wanted. He was later sentenced and served in a detention center.[1]. Tahir Imin was imprisoned in Xi Hu Lao Jiao Suo as a political prisoner from 2005 to 2007[2].
Cultural Activism[edit]
Tahir Imin initiated the Doppa Festival in 2009, celebrating Doppa, a traditional Uyghur attire. He also initiated various forums and scholarships for Uyghur students, children, and women[3].
Activism and Retaliation by the Chinese Government[edit]
Tahir Imin left China and went to study in Israel in 2017. When asked to return by the Chinese government, Tahir Imin refused. He was then threatened by the police. When he told his story to the international media, the Chinese government retaliated by sentencing his brother and step-mother to prison. His wife was pressured to divorce him. He had not been allowed to contact his daughter.[4] [5][6]
Tahir Imin moved to Washington, D.C. in August 2017 [7].
Activism and Media[edit]
He is the founder of United News Network and Uyghur Times, a news media focusing on current Uyghur news and issues. He has been interviewed by various major news agencies such as the New York Times, Atlantic, VOX, etc, and spoken at academic venues such as Columbia University Law School.[8]
He has written various articles and academic research work on Uyghur culture and its preservation.[9]
References[edit]
- ↑ Hidayat, Arslan (May 29, 2020). "Exclusive Interview with founder of Uyghur Times". Talk East Turkestan. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Haifa Academia". Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Uighur Times". Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Samuel, Sigal (March 30, 2019). "China's crackdown on Muslims is being felt beyond its borders". VOX. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Wee, Sui Lee (February 21, 2019). "China Uses DNA to Track Its People, With the Help of American Expertise". The New York Times. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Exiled Uighurs call for action on China over crackdown". Al Jazeera English. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ https://uighurtimes.com/index.php/tahir-imin/
- ↑ https://uighurtimes.com/index.php/tahir-imin/
- ↑ https://haifa.academia.edu/tahirimin/Papers
citations added[edit]
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