Here’s a summary of recent news about Uyghurs from around the world.
Uyghur soccer player boosts China's World Cup hopes
In Asia's World Cup qualifiers, a 21-year-old Uyghur soccer player became the first player from Xinjiang to score a goal for China’s men’s national team. Behram Abduweli made his debut for the team and scored a crucial goal in a 1-1 draw against Thailand, keeping China's hopes alive for the next round of World Cup qualifiers.
Uyghur brothers shot, killed in Xinjiang prison
A prison guard shot two Uyghur brothers in early May after a scuffle in a vegetable field that was a part of the Qarabughra Prison in Xinjiang’s Kunes, Radio Free Asia reported last week. Details about their imprisonment remain unclear. One officer reportedly said incidents like this one “rarely” come up. The prison expanded in 2017 amid China's crackdown on Uyghurs for alleged "terrorism" and "religious extremism."
Preserving Uyghur heritage in Kazakhstan through digital innovation
At a recent conference called Unlock 2024 in Prague, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty interviewed Said Maximov, founder of Digital Yurt, a Kazakhstan-based platform for Uyghurs that was launched in 2022. Its growing digital footprint has spilled over to the real world with in-person events and even a Montessori kindergarten in Almaty. Kazakhstan is home to the second-largest Uyghur population outside China. Amid ongoing repression in China, it offers a high-tech approach to preserving the Uyghur culture, engaging youth and keeping traditions alive.
Exiled Uyghur journalist links Urumqi arrests to his reporting
Former language school colleagues of exiled Uyghur journalist Kasim Kashgar have been imprisoned in China, allegedly because of their connection with him. Kashgar, who reports for Voice of America, believes the arrests of Mirkamil Ahmed, Semet Ababekri, Abdukadir Rozi, Mehmut Abdukeyum and Akber Osman are retaliatory. The Chinese government accuses them of separatist activities and having been recruited by Kashgar to become members of the World Uyghur Congress, a Uyghur rights organization. Kashgar insists their only "crime" was their past association with him.
World's largest solar power plant unveiled in Xinjiang
The grid in Xinjiang is now connected to the world’s largest solar farm, according to the Power Construction Corporation of China. The plant is expected to generate 6.09 billion kilowatt hours of electricity each year. Xinjiang has become a hub for renewable energy in China.
US lawmakers request import ban on Chinese battery giants
Republican lawmakers are pushing to ban imports from Chinese battery firms CATL and Gotion, citing alleged forced labor ties in their supply chains. This move, under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, targets companies connected to automakers such as Ford and Volkswagen amid ongoing concerns over human rights abuses in Xinjiang. China has denied the allegations of forced labor. Ford and Volkswagen have said either there is no evidence of a connection to Uyghur forced labor or that the allegations are “groundless and completely false,” Reuters reported.
China plans railway expansion linking Tibet with the Uyghur region
China's strategic railway expansion aims to connect Xinjiang and Tibet and enhance border security and supply chain connectivity. Both regions are rich in natural resources and have historically resented Chinese rule.
In brief
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan's recent visit to China's Xinjiang region has raised concerns among experts and Uyghur advocates. Concluding his three-day trip on June 5, Fidan visited the cities of Urumqi and Kashgar, referring to them as "ancient Turkic and Islamic" sites. The visit, amid reports of severe repression against Uyghurs in Xinjiang, is seen as a diplomatic signal of Turkey's concern for the welfare of Uyghurs, despite China's efforts to downplay the issue. Fidan also emphasized boosting trade relations with China and balancing economic interests with diplomatic messages.
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"This is my first match for the [senior] national team, and I hope that this goal can help the team. I also hope to score more goals in the future,” said Behram Abduweli, a 21-year-old Uyghur member of China’s national football team, after scoring in a 2026 World Cup qualifier match against Thailand on June 6.
