Muslim Hostage In Qatar Airport Could Be Deported To China’s Concentration Camps

Activists in Qatar are trying to help a Uighur man from being deported to China, to prevent him from being sent to an internment camp.

According to activists and a lawyer, 53-year-old Ablikim Yusuf was supposed to be put on a flight to Beijing on Saturday. Qatar authorities gave him 24 hours to find a country that was willing to accept him.

More than a million Uighurs and other Muslims living in Xinjiang have been put in arbitrary internment camps, and reports state that they get detained as soon as they arrive at the airports of China.

Countries all over the world have condemned China’s actions. However, Chinese officials stated that they had released most of the detainees last week, but didn’t provide any corroborating evidence to prove it.

Yusuf’s situation went viral because he posted a video asking for assistance. When traveling, Uighurs use a Chinese travel document instead of a passport, which only allows them to travel back to China directly.  China uses this so Uighurs are forced to come back home.

According to a Uighur Australian human rights activist, Arsian Hidayat, “Instead of openly knowing about concentration camps and doing nothing, it would be good for Qatar to come to the rescue.”

A Chinese state media reported that Qatar was a signatory on a letter that praised the country’s treatment of Muslims and its human rights track record.

A Uighur activist in the US, Tahir Imin, said, “We are sure he will face years of imprisonment or a concentration camp.”

“We hope the international community makes sure that he or any other Uighurs will not be forced back to China without their consent.”

Many European countries like Germany and Sweden stated that they would refrain from deporting Uighurs back to China.

At the time of publication, Yusuf couldn’t be reached for comments. Activists stated that they haven’t been able to contact him since Saturday.

Sources: Buzz Feed News / Photo Credit: Twitter/Arslan Hidayat