A Uyghur woman from the village of Zulkum in Kashgar, East Turkistan, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison by Chinese authorities on charges of teaching the Quran to young people. This incident, reported by Radio Free Asia (RFA) on November 4, 2024, highlights the ongoing policies and pressures faced by Uyghurs in the region under Chinese governance.

The woman, identified as Heyrinisa Memet, who is in her mid-40s, was accused of attempting to “divide China” by teaching Quranic lessons to youths. In a statement to RFA, a security official from Zulkum village, who requested anonymity, indicated that her “offense” was solely focused on imparting religious content to children. The official clarified, “She wasn’t changing their ideology; she was only teaching them about their religion.”

Accusations Without Evidence

Additional reports from RFA, citing both the village’s security chief and a local police officer, revealed that on June 11, 2024, three more Uyghurs from Zulkum village were convicted in closed-door trials held in Makit County, Kashgar. These individuals were allegedly accused of harboring resentment toward Han Chinese citizens, though no concrete evidence was presented to support these claims. “There was no talk of extremism, but they were accused of storing certain audio and video materials,” the security officer explained, underscoring the tenuous nature of the accusations.