Xinjiang Prefecture Bans Sala Branch of Islam and Reportedly Arrests 179

August 31, 2005

The Yili Kazahk Autonomous Prefecture government has banned the Sala branch of Islam in Xinjiang and arrested 179 practitioners, according to the German-based World Uighur Congress and a report by Agence-France Presse on August 19. High-ranking prefectural officials held a special work conference on the Sala "threat" on August 17, according to the Yili Daily.

The Yili Kazahk Autonomous Prefecture government has banned the Sala branch of Islam in Xinjiang and arrested 179 practitioners, according to the German-based World Uighur Congress and a report by Agence-France Presse on August 19. High-ranking prefectural officials held a special work conference on the Sala "threat" on August 17, according to the Yili Daily. Government officials accused Sala leaders of "cheating and deceiving the masses, and inciting them to worship their religious leaders," and of pressuring followers to make donations to the organization. Officials also accused the leaders of encouraging "transprovincial worship" and "threatening social stability." The Yili press did not mention any arrests.

According to Chinese official sources, Sala was founded in the early 20th century in Qinghai province and has thousands of adherents, primarily from the Muslim ethnic Hui and Salar communities in Qinghai and Gansu provinces.

The government tightly controls the practice of religion in Xinjiang, particularly among members of the Uighur ethnic minority. In addition to these most recent arrests, authorities have detained at least 40 Muslims since July 20 for possessing unapproved religious texts and meeting without government permission.