A love story illustrates the tragedy of the Uyghur people
August 2026
This is a love story which appeared in today’s Guardian (5th August) which highlights the effects on innocent lives arising from the repression and cultural genocide being committed in Xinjiang by the Chinese. The relationship blossomed around a discovered novel entitled Leyighan Bulaq (The Muddy Spring) written by the Uyghur novelist Jalalidin Băhram. It is a book about the brutalities of the Cultural Revolution.
The boy who uncovered the book wanted to share it with a female friend which in a Moslem environment was difficult to do. He smuggled a copy of the book to her. He left to study abroad. She was unable to sit a university entrance exam as she wore a headscarf. She was unable to obtain a passport either which the Chinese are reluctant to permit Uyghurs to have. She eventually made it out and they married in Istanbul. No family members were present. Messages from abroad can result in punishment which meant they could not convey messages to their families back home including the sad death of their 2 year old daughter.
The story illustrates very well the effects on ordinary lives by the campaign of repression. How people cannot leave the area, how messages from abroad can result in punishment. How indignities are heaped on the people for wearing a scarf. Unspoken in the story is the use of CCTV cameras which control lives not just in Xinjiang but throughout China. They make ordinary contact and movement almost impossible.
A message …
“To all Amnesty activists and supporters,
Thank you for standing with the Uyghur people at a time when our language, culture, faith, and very identity are under systematic attack. The recent testimony of former Chinese police officer Zhang Yabo has once again confirmed what Uyghurs have long tried to tell the world: in today’s Uyghur homeland, almost anyone can become a target — writers, poets, musicians, artists, intellectuals, religious figures, and ordinary people simply trying to preserve who they are. Songs are banned, the Uyghur language is criminalised, faith is weaponised against believers, and even memory itself is treated as a threat.
Beyond the camps and prisons, the repression follows Uyghurs across borders through intimidation, surveillance, disinformation, and relentless transnational repression designed to silence us and isolate us from the world. Many Uyghurs are afraid even to speak publicly, fearing consequences for loved ones back home.
That is why your solidarity matters so deeply. Every voice raised, every campaign organised, every act of compassion tells Uyghurs that we have not been abandoned or forgotten. In the face of fear and erasure, solidarity becomes a form of protection, dignity, and hope.
Please continue to stand with us, support the work of Stop Uyghur Genocide, and help amplify Uyghur voices by following and sharing our work on social media. Your support truly makes a difference.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Rahima Mahmut
Executive Director
Stop Uyghur Genocide”
Responses
We are delighted to report that the response to our earlier posts on the Uyghur Solidarity Month have been good. Our post made top ranking on Startpage’s search engine today. Most pleasing is the number of views from China and Hong Kong which together were second and third in the rankings. Amnesty is banned in China so this is encouraging.
Recent posts:
- It’s not just cotton from Xinjiang …
- Vigil No. 142
- Why we need to worry about Palantir
- Coercion by the Chinese of the Uyghur diaspora
- Zoom meeting on the Uyghur campaign
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Amnesty in Salisbury & South Wiltshire 
There are children in South Africa dying in pit toilets. Black adults are still using apartheid bucket toilets. This is outrageous.
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