A jailed ethnic minority Uyghur blogger and activist will be brought to trial next month on unknown charges after being detained six months ago for collecting donations to run Uyghur schools in the troubled Xinjiang region, his family said.
Chinese authorities in Xinjiang have formally arrested three students of detained Uyghur scholar Ilham Tohti on charges of “splittism” and “revealing state secrets,” while the fate of two other students remains unknown, their instructor’s wife said Wednesday.
Uygur groups condemn charge against academic Ilham Tohti
A prominent ethnic Uighur economist is unlikely to receive a fair trial and could face the death penalty after being charged with separatism in China's far western Xinjiang region, his lawyer said on Wednesday.
Prominent Uighur scholar, Ilham Tohti, has been formally arrested and charged with “separatism” in China. The charge is punishable by 10 years to life in prison, or even the death penalty. He is still denied access to his lawyer and his family, and is at risk of torture or other ill-treatment.
Agence France-Presse
Wednesday 26 February 2014 06.18 EST
Rights groups have condemned China for charging a prominent Uighur critic of government policy towards his mostly Muslim minority with inciting separatism – a crime that can carry the death penalty.
The whereabouts of Ilham Tohti, an economics lecturer at a Beijing university, is unknown to his family and supporters. But his wife, Guzaili Nu'er, said she had been informed of the charges.
China charges university professor and seven of his students with 'separatism', extinguishing lone voice of dissent over the troubled region of Xinjiang
Chinese authorities in the troubled northwestern region of Xinjiang have formally arrested outspoken Uyghur scholar Ilham Tohti on separatism charges, his family said on Tuesday.
![Tohti's wife Guzaili Nu'er, left, and mother Nasipuhan, said the professor does not support Uighur separatism [AP]](https://www.iuhrdf.org/sites/default/files/styles/article_list/public/articles/2014225201458237734_20.jpg?itok=mRofkUem)
Authorities in China's far western region of Xinjiang have charged a prominent ethnic Uighur professor with separatism.
Celebrating a 45th birthday should be a time shared with family and loved ones, but for Huseyin Celil, it will be a day like any other.
