Family of Imprisoned Uyghur Christian Alimujiang Denied Visiting Rights
ICC Note: Authorities create legal catch-22 that deprives family of basic right
7/22/10 China (ChinaAid) – Since Uyghur Christian prisoner Alimjan Yimit (Alimujiang Yimiti) was moved in April to No. 3 Prison on the outskirts of Urumqi to begin serving a 15-year sentence, it was expected the normal rules regarding monthly supervised family visits would allow his mother and his wife Gulinuer and children to see him again. After being held for over two years in a detention center in Kashgar and denied all contact with family, the possibility of seeing Alimjan was their sole consolation in light of this extremely harsh and unjust sentence. Now, even that hope has been lost as the prison officials, or more likely higher-ups behind them, perpetuate the abuse. They demand a new letter be brought each visit, written and stamped by the local police verifying Alimjan’s wife and mother’s relationship to him. The local police, meanwhile, say it is unnecessary and refuse to cooperate.
After the first visit in April, reported on by China Aid, Alimjan was allowed only one other twenty minute interaction with them in May. Alim’s lawyers have never been allowed to meet with him since being moved into prison. Each week Gulinuer mails a letter to her husband only two of which she knows he’s been given. She has yet to receive a reply. One letter sent to Alimjian in prison was returned to a sender in the U.S. with the words “deceased” written across the envelope. ChinaAid has been unable to confirm the validity of the prison authorities’ message—and Alim remains hidden from the world.
…
Loading...
read more
