(Xinjiang—March 15, 2023) ChinaAid confirmed that Uyghur Christian Alimujiang Yimiti was released from prison after his 15-year sentence. While other details are unconfirmed, the Uyghur house church pastor is home with his family.
Background
Alimujiang Yimiti, also known as Alim, converted from Islam to Christianity in 1995 and served as a house church pastor to Uyghurs in Kashgar, Xinjiang. His work in Xinjiang painted a target on his back, as the Chinese government began to scrutinize Uyghurs in the area. In 2007, authorities initially accused Alim of using his business to “infiltrate” Christian ideology into Kashgar.
Alim was criminally detained on Jan. 12, 2008, for “inciting separatism” and “unlawfully providing state secrets to overseas organizations” due to a conversation he had with an American colleague, possibly about his interaction with authorities in 2007.
Severe sentence
Two times before his final sentencing in August 2009, the Court in Kashgar secretly tried Alim. After the first trial, they decided there was not enough evidence to convict him. The prosecution decided to drop his separatism charge and tried him a second time a year later. For both secret trials, Alim’s family was prohibited from attending.
Xinjiang
Since Alim’s trial and conviction, the world has come to know about China’s crimes against humanity in Xinjiang, also known as East Turkistan. An estimated 1-2 million Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and other ethnic minorities are kept in concentration camps. According to witness testimonies in the Uyghur Tribunal in 2021, prisoners were forcefully sterilized, tortured, and “re-educated.”
No other details
While ChinaAid has confirmed through sources on the ground that Alim was released, there are no other details. Stay tuned to ChinaAid’s website for further updates.