Two years of being illegally locked up in Xinjiang “education-and-training centers”

An artistic rendition of camp authorities and police burning objects used by previous detainees, as described by the author.

The erasing of traces began. A large pit was dug with an excavator, then many plastic bags were brought in, bulging with stuff, and thrown into the pit, to burn for a long while. Public security vehicles were on the scene to supervise the process.

“The oppressive system aside, I forgave all who could be called human.”

Abduweli Ayup (third from left) with friends in Kashgar in August 2015, not long before his departure from the country. Many of them, including entrepreneur Ekber Eset (third from right), filmmaker Abdurehim Ablethan (second from left), and Alimjan (first from left), have since been taken.

A detailed summary of Abduweli Ayup’s memoir, “Mehbus Rohlar” (“Imprisoned Spirits”), which details his 458 days in pre-trial detention.

“Afraid of demons in my dreams? I’m used to them now, as I’ve seen them in real life.”

Zhanargul Zhumatai, in her final address to the international community prior to being disappeared a second time.

“There is nothing that I can do to prevent them from doing what they need to do. But if I disappear or if I die, I want the world to hold them responsible. To ask what happened to me, to know that I didn’t die a natural death. Many people should know about this, about what has happened to me. The world should know!”

They called us the “terrorist family”

Gulnar Omirzaq delivers her account.

My name is Gulnar Omirzaq. I’m from Chapchal County – a village called Termenbulaq, in Segizsumyn. I’m going to share everything that happened to me and other members of minority groups that live in China. I am one of the people who witnessed these things.