VP/HR — Arrest of Ilham Tohti
30.11.2015
Question for written answer E-015251-15
to the Commission (Vice-President/High Representative)
Rule 130
Ilhan Kyuchyuk (ALDE)
Ilham Tohti, a respected Uyghur Professor of Economics and recipient of the 2014 PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award, is currently serving life in prison in China. Despite his moderate and peaceful approach, he was arbitrarily accused of separatism in 2014. One of the most prominent Uyghur voices in China, Ilham Tohti is known for promoting conciliation between Uyghurs and Han Chinese and for co-founding the website Uyghur Online, now blocked inside China. International human rights organisations and various governments have expressed their concern over Ilham Tohti’s arrest and have asked for his release.
Following a public statement by the spokesperson of the VP/HR condemning the sentencing of Ilham Tohti, in September 2014:
- 1.What concrete actions have been taken by the EU to push for Ilham Tohti’s release?
- 2.Has Ilham Tohti’s case been directly addressed in recent human rights dialogues with China? If so, how has China responded?