Uyghur campaigner urges action as allegations against China persist
A Uyghur activist has accused China of waging a systematic campaign against the religious and cultural identity of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang region
MNTV News Desk
A Uyghur activist has accused China of waging a systematic campaign against the religious and cultural identity of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang region, or East Turkestan, warning that international silence is enabling continued repression.
Speaking to Strat News Global, Arslan Hidayat, co-founder of Kashgar Times, described the situation in Xinjiang as one of long-standing political control and intensifying restrictions on religious life.
Hidayat traced the roots of the conflict to 1949, when the Chinese Communist Party established control over the region. “We’ve been under occupation since,” he said, framing the issue as one of sovereignty rather than separatism.
China refers to the region as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and maintains that its policies are aimed at countering extremism, improving economic conditions and ensuring stability. Beijing has repeatedly rejected allegations of widespread rights abuses.
However, Hidayat pointed to reports over the past decade alleging mass detentions of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in facilities described by critics as internment camps. He claimed individuals have been detained for religious identity and everyday expressions of faith.
According to his account, restrictions extend to personal practices such as wearing beards or hijabs, using Islamic greetings, and observing fasting during Ramzan. He also alleged that mosques have been demolished or placed under strict state control, while surveillance systems monitor religious behaviour in homes, workplaces and schools.
Hidayat cited testimonies from former detainees alleging ideological coercion inside detention facilities, including pressure to renounce Islam and pledge loyalty to the Chinese state. These claims could not be independently verified.
He further alleged demographic changes in the region, including the migration of Han Chinese populations and policies affecting Uyghur families, which he said have altered the ethnic balance. Official Chinese data shows Xinjiang’s population is ethnically mixed, though Beijing disputes claims of coercive policies.
The activist also highlighted what he described as the personal cost of the crackdown. He said members of his wife’s family were detained in 2017, with some later released under strict monitoring. Communication with relatives, he added, remains limited and closely supervised.
Rights groups have previously documented cases of what they describe as transnational pressure on Uyghur activists abroad, including threats and intimidation linked to family members in China. Hidayat echoed these concerns, alleging that such tactics are used to silence dissent internationally.
Despite the risks, he said he intends to continue advocacy efforts. “The stakes are existential,” Hidayat said, referring to the preservation of Uyghur culture, religion and identity.
China denies allegations of repression in Xinjiang and has said vocational training centres in the region were part of efforts to combat extremism. Critics, however, argue that restrictions on religious and cultural expression amount to systematic rights violations.
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