Today marks a grim milestone: the 10th anniversary of the unjust sentencing of Uyghur economist and human rights activist Ilham Tohti. On 23 September 2014, Tohti, a tireless advocate for dialogue and understanding between Uyghurs and Han Chinese, was sentenced to life imprisonment on politically motivated charges of separatism. His only crime was his unwavering commitment to promoting human rights, equality, and peaceful coexistence.

For his extraordinary courage, Ilham Tohti was rightfully awarded Liberal International’s Prize for Freedom in 2017, and further recognized with the prestigious Václav Havel Human Rights Prize and the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 2019. His imprisonment remains a stark symbol of the severe human rights violations perpetrated in Xinjiang, as documented by multiple reports from UN Treaty Bodies and Special Rapporteurs, and underscored by the 2022 assessment from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Liberal International’s Human Rights Committee Chairperson Astrid Thors and Vice President Dr. Phil Bennion stand firm in their unequivocal condemnation of the systematic repression of Uyghurs, Tibetans, and other national, ethnic, linguistic, and religious minorities in China. We call, once again, for the Chinese authorities to respect, protect, and fulfill the fundamental rights of all individuals, without discrimination.

On this solemn anniversary, we renew our urgent call for the immediate and unconditional release of Ilham Tohti and all human rights defenders, lawyers, and intellectuals who continue to be arbitrarily detained in China. Their courage in the face of oppression is a beacon of hope, and the international community must not remain silent. It is our moral duty to stand with them and continue to demand justice, freedom, and human dignity for all.