Rights groups warn of rising risks to Uyghurs in Türkiye
US-based campaign cites new HRW report documenting shrinking protections, arbitrary detentions and growing pressure on Uyghur families in Türkiye
ISTANBUL, Türkiye (MNTV) — Uyghur refugees once drawn to Türkiye for safety are now facing mounting risks of detention, loss of legal status and possible deportation, according to new findings raising alarm among rights advocates.
The warnings follow a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report that says the country has become an increasingly precarious place for those fleeing China’s repression in Xinjiang.
The latest concerns were echoed by Justice For All’s Save Uyghur Campaign, a US-based human rights initiative, which said the HRW report confirms what many Uyghur families have been experiencing on the ground.
The group said the deterioration in legal protections has left thousands living in fear of refoulement — forced return to a country where they face systematic persecution.
HRW’s report, “Protected No More: Uyghurs in Türkiye,” outlines the escalating use of ambiguous “restriction codes,” cancelled residence permits and long delays or rejections in citizenship applications.
It also documents cases where Uyghurs were held in overcrowded deportation centers and reportedly pressured to sign “voluntary return” forms.
Arslan Hidayat, team lead for the Save Uyghur Campaign, said the situation has rapidly worsened. “What HRW documented confirms what our community has felt for years. Uyghurs in Türkiye are losing the protections they once relied on,” he said, noting that families are now “terrified to renew their documents” and some individuals are “afraid to even leave their homes.”
Justice For All president Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid said the findings highlight an urgent responsibility for Muslim-majority governments, including Türkiye.
“When families fear detention every time they leave their homes, it is clear the systems meant to protect them are falling short,” he said. He urged regional governments to strengthen safeguards for those fleeing persecution.
The report also underscores Türkiye’s obligations under international law, particularly the ban on refoulement, which prohibits sending individuals back to countries where they risk torture, detention, or other severe rights violations.
HRW said China continues to target Uyghurs abroad through coercion, intimidation, and manipulation of immigration systems, contributing to the risks refugees face even outside Xinjiang.
Justice For All’s Save Uyghur Campaign is calling for stronger global monitoring, expanded resettlement options and coordinated international pressure on Beijing, arguing that many Uyghur families now find themselves trapped between the repression they escaped and the shrinking protections available in Türkiye.
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