As scholars committed to defending academic freedom worldwide, we, the Scholars at Risk Advocacy team, urgently call on the Chinese government to release Professor Ilham Tohti without delay. Professor Tohti, a respected Uyghur scholar, economist, and father, has been wrongfully imprisoned since 2014 for his peaceful advocacy of Uyghur rights and his persistent calls for advancing dialogue grounded in mutual respect and the pursuit of a shared future for China’s diverse communities. 

On 23 September 2014, Ilham Tohti was sentenced to life imprisonment on charges of “separatism,” following a closed trial in Ürümqi that lacked basic guarantees of due process. He was denied full access to legal counsel; evidence consisted largely of reposted materials. His appeal was rejected, and since 2017, he has reportedly been held incommunicado, without access to family, his lawyers, or independent monitors. Several international bodies within the United Nations (2014) and NGOs, such as Amnesty International (2024) and Human Rights Watch (2024), have denounced the proceedings as arbitrary, politically motivated, and in violation of international law. Professor Tohti’s scholarship emphasized justice, equality, and bridge-building between ethnic communities, seeking to foster peaceful coexistence. His conviction not only undermines Uyghur rights but also poses a serious threat to academic freedom by silencing open inquiry and peaceful dialogue. 

Freedom of speech and academic inquiry must never be criminalized. By imprisoning Professor Tohti, the Chinese government sets a dangerous precedent that silences intellectuals and defenders who speak out against injustice. Such actions constitute a breach of China’s binding obligations under international human rights law, including its duties pursuant to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), and represent a serious affront to the rights affirmed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

We call on the Chinese government to:

• Release Professor Ilham Tohti immediately and unconditionally.
• Allow him regular contact with his family, lawyers, and independent monitors.
• End the persecution of Uyghur scholars and those engaged in peaceful advocacy.

Join us in calling for Ilham Tohti’s immediate release. We stand together with previous initiatives such as the UN, Amnesty, Norsk Pen, Pen International, and Reporters without Borders to defend the principles of academic freedom and human rights by signing this petition.