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| Seven Muslim University Students
Detained by Police; Two Still in Custody |
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Press Releases
ChinaAid
Media Contact: Katherine Cason (267) 210-8278 or
Katherine@ChinaAid.org
Washington, D.C. Contact: Jenny McCloy (202) 213-0506 or
Jenny@ChinaAid.org
Website: www.ChinaAid.org and www.MonitorChina.org
Fax: (432) 686-8355
XINJIANG – The Urumqi authorities in Xinjiang arrested
and detained university
students belonging to a Muslim Fellowship and fined them
each, 5,000 Yuan. Two of the students are still being
detained, and authorities have threatened them with more
severe punishment.
At 11 a.m. on May 10, 2009, seven university students
belonging to a Muslim Fellowship group were gathering at
Xinjiang University, when two police officers from the
local Domestic Security Protection Squad, and more than
10 other individuals in plainclothes, suddenly broke
into the meeting site and arrested all of the students.
The Domestic Security Protection Squad officers did not
present identification or legal documents authorizing
the arrest. Authorities handcuffed the students and
escorted them to an office. After interrogating the
students, officials sent them to a detention center
where each received 15 days of detention and a 5,000
Yuan fine for “holding an illegal gathering.” At the
time of this press release, two students are still being
detained: Yuesefujiang, a 27-year-old graduate student
from Department of Economic Management of Xinjiang
University, and Maimaitijiang, a 24-year-old junior.
When ChinaAid was contacted about this case, the
persecuted Muslim students initially claimed to be
Christians, fearing that otherwise, their case would not
be made public. However, after thorough investigation,
it was found that the students were Muslims. ChinaAid
president, Bob Fu, stated, “As a Christian organization,
we are working for religious freedom for all. As long as
these Muslims are not committing criminal activities,
they are not subject to persecution simply because of
their religious activities.”
The Muslim Fellowship students follow the teachings of
Wahhabism, a fundamentalist denomination of Islam which
originated from an Islamic missionary in Saudi Arabia.
According to ChinaAid contacts, some of these students
have heard the Gospel for many years but have never
accepted it, yet they will sometimes claim to be
Christians to protect themselves and to advance their
religion.
ChinaAid calls on Xinjiang authorities to release
Yuesefujiang and Maimaitijiang. ChinaAid also urges
authorities in Xinjiang to respect Chinese citizens’
religious freedoms and to handle with caution cases
involving Chinese citizens who are of ethnic minorities
and are accused of “attending an illegal gathering.”
Contact the Chinese Ambassador and request the immediate
release of Yuesefujiang and Maimaitijiang. Urge the
Chinese government to respect the Muslim students’
religious freedom as stated in China’s Constitution and
in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong
3505 International Place, NW, Washington, D.C. 20008
Tel: (202) 495-2000
Fax: (202) 588-9760
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