Washington DC [US], March 6 : The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) has raised alarm over recent reports that Uyghur Muslims in East Turkistan have been detained for practising Ramadan fasting. The organisation said the incidents illustrate the continued lack of freedom of religion for Uyghurs living under Chinese rule.
In a press release shared on X, WUC stated that according to reporting by Radio Free Asia (RFA) published on February 27, police officers detained six Uyghur residents from multiple villages in Hotan Prefecture, including Bulaq Chorgey, Bash Chapal, Dul Tugman and Korgan. Authorities reportedly accused them of secretly observing the Ramadan fast.
A police officer in Lop Township, Lop County, confirmed to Radio Free Asia that five of the detainees, each over the age of 70, were eventually freed after receiving warnings and undergoing what officials described as political "education" sessions. However, a younger Uyghur man, aged 30, remains in custody and could face criminal prosecution related to fasting during the holy month.
The officer also indicated that security monitoring is heightened during Ramadan. Patrols reportedly begin around 6:00 a.m. Beijing time, roughly two hours before sunrise in Hotan. Officers allegedly check homes for signs of fasting, including inspecting windows for lights before dawn and entering houses if they suspect residents may be observing the fast.
Additional information reported by the Uyghur News Network suggests that authorities in Kashgar and Aksu prefectures are compelling villagers to perform early morning labour during Ramadan. According to a village official cited in the report, residents are taken out daily for roughly two hours to repair infrastructure such as roads, bridges and irrigation channels, a move believed to discourage fasting.
Commenting on the reports, WUC President Turgunjan Alawdun said the detentions demonstrate how even private acts of faith are being monitored and punished. He argued that surveillance and forced labour practices violate both international human rights standards and Chinese domestic laws.
The concerns come as the situation of Uyghurs is being discussed at the 61st Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. During the session, Nazila Ghanea highlighted allegations that Chinese authorities have been destroying or relocating Uyghur Muslim cemeteries without informing families.