Xinjiang Police Form Special Unit To Investigate Exiled Activist Rebiya Kadeer

January 9, 2006

A special police unit in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region will monitor the relatives and business interests of exiled activist Rebiya Kadeer, according to an August 30 Radio Free Asia (RFA) report.

A special police unit in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region will monitor the relatives and business interests of exiled activist Rebiya Kadeer, according to an August 30 Radio Free Asia (RFA) report. Kadeer served over five years in prison in Xinjiang for disclosing "state secrets" contained in newspaper clippings she sent abroad. A police officer confirmed to RFA that a special unit known as the Number 307 Office, or Rebiya Kadeer Investigation Office, is operating in Urumqi. Alim Abdiriyim, Kadeer's son, told RFA that his family members must notify the 307 Office if they wish to leave the city. Police also detained two of Kadeer's nephews for a day during the week of August 26, and attempted to confiscate their passports.

Before her March 2005 release, Kadeer said, prison guards warned her not to discuss Uighur issues abroad, or else her business interests and relatives who remain in Xinjiang would suffer the consequences. Xinjiang police began what appeared to be a politically motivated attack on Kadeer's family and associates in May, according to a Human Rights Watch report. Several of her associates were detained and a son went into hiding. Alim Abdiriyim told RFA that since the police raided his family's business in May and began "ruining our reputation," the family has been unable to make payments on a 9 million yuan bank loan.

On August 26, Wang Lequan, the Communist Party General Secretary in Xinjiang, accused Kadeer of plotting terrorist attacks to disrupt the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Autonomous Region on October 1 (for details, see here). Wang offered no evidence to support the allegations. Wang also accused Kadeer of economic fraud, tax evasion, and loan default.