12 years ago today, my father, Ilham Tohti, was sentenced to life in prison for “separatism”—a charge that bears no resemblance to the work he dedicated his life to.
My father is an Uyghur economist, scholar, writer, educator, husband, father, and believer. Above all, he was a
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12 years ago today, my father, Ilham Tohti, was sentenced to life in prison for “separatism”—a charge that bears no resemblance to the work he dedicated his life to.
My father is an Uyghur economist, scholar, writer, educator, husband, father, and believer. Above all, he was a man who devoted his life and his own resources to fostering dialogue, supporting his community, bridging divides, and helping people understand one another.
He is not the criminal the Chinese government has portrayed him to be. A man who spent his life building bridges should never have been locked behind bars.
For 12 years, our family has lived with his absence. For 9 years, we have had no family visit with him.
Today, on the 12th anniversary of his life sentence, I once again call on the Chinese government: Release Ilham Tohti.
Let my father come home. Let him read, write, think, teach, and love his family freely again! #FreeIlhamTohti
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