Turkish media reveal identities of alleged spies for China

An alleged spy for China living in Istanbul evaded detection by Turkish authorities for years, Sadiq Memeteziz’s undercover work taking him to Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Syria and Xinjiang in China’s far-west, Turkish media reports said, citing official documents. Memeteziz, or Shadeke Maimaitiaizazi in Chinese, was one of six…

Three killed, 5 injured in 7.1-magnitude earthquake in Xinjiang

A 7.1-magnitude earthquake that struck Xinjiang’s Uchturpan county, which borders Kyrgyzstan, early Tuesday killed three, injured five, and displaced more than 12,400 people living in the area, Chinese authorities and Akqi officials said. Xinjiang emergency management authorities told Chinese state media at a press conference on Tuesday evening that the…

Police arrest former opposition councilor amid call to boycott poll

Hong Kong police have arrested a former pro-democracy member of the city’s District Council and prison welfare activist — amid calls for a boycott of forthcoming district elections, which are open to “patriots only.” Derek Chu, a 46-year-old former directly elected councilor who resigned in 2021 before being forced to…

Major Muslim group buys into China’s narrative of happy Uyghurs in a stable Xinjiang

Seeking to promote its rosy narrative about the peace and prosperity enjoyed by majority-Muslim Uyghurs in the far-western region of Xinjiang, China earlier this month invited delegates from the 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation to visit and observe. The propaganda junket – aimed at blunting international criticism of Beijing’s repression…

China enforces lockdowns as COVID cases spiral in Xinjiang and Tibet

A sharp increase in the number of coronavirus cases in Xinjiang led China’s government to send a delegation throughout the far-western region to implement controversial zero-COVID policies, further isolating residents there. As of Wednesday, Xinjiang recorded 2,779 confirmed COVID-19 cases throughout Xinjiang, with officials in the capital Urumqi (in Chinese,…

Uyghurs in exile mark anniversary of deadly 2009 Urumqi unrest

Uyghur exile groups around the world on Tuesday demanded that China end its persecution of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang in a series of protests marking the 13th anniversary of deadly ethnic violence in the region’s capital. Uyghurs demonstrated in the capital cities of European Union countries, Turkey,…