FILE – Outspoken Uighur scholar and advocate Ilham Tohti speaks during an interview at his home in Beijing.
September 24, 2014 2:18 AM
WASHINGTON—The Obama Administration has expressed its “deep concern” over the life sentence handed down Tuesday against prominent Uighur scholar Ilham Tohti on separatism charges. Analysts warn China’s action may only further radicalize ethnic minorities.
A White House statement described Uighur scholar IlhamTohti as a respected professor who has long championed efforts to bridge differences between China’s minority Muslim Uighur community and majority Han Chinese. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry Tuesday said “peaceful dissent is not a crime,” adding “the harsh sentence appears to be retribution for Professor Tohti’s peaceful efforts to promote human rights for China’s ethnic Uighur citizens.”
The White House statement called for Tohti’s release and that of seven students, who were also arrested in January, “and a guarantee of their protection and freedom to which they are entitled under China’s international human rights commitments and its own constitution.” It said China should “differentiate between peaceful dissent and violent extremism.”
Michael Clarke of Australia’s Griffith Asia Institute said such expressions of international concern may have the opposite effect of what is intended.
“Even within the statement of the verdict, there was a phrase to the effect that Mr. Tohti had, in fact, internationalized the Uighur issue by engaging with foreign journalists and so forth. So, I think statements like this from the United States will just be viewed as further proof of the effect of Mr. Tohti’s advocacy for the Uighurs,” said Clarke.
Prosecutors argued during last week’s trial Tohti promoted separatism and encouraged violence with his lectures, articles, and frequent comments to foreign media. The 44-year-old Tohti rejected the accusations, saying he was only trying to promote dialogue and point out injustices. His lawyer said he plans to appeal the sentence.
