The case of scholar Ilham Tohti, the 'Uighur Nelson Mandela'

Ilham Tohti at his home in Beijing, China, on Feb. 4, 2013. (AP / Andy Wong)

After a two-day trial widely regarded as a sham, China has sentenced Uighur scholar Ilham Tohti to life in prison for inciting “separatism.” The severity of the punishment was surprising even to human rights observers accustomed to China’s silencing of its critics.

“This is one of the harshest sentences we have seen related to a freedom of expression case,” a diplomat told me. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch called the sentence “deplorable” and the entire case, “a travesty of justice.”

Tohti, an economist and academic, has never openly promoted independence for ethnic Uighurs in China’s western Xinjiang region. The Muslim Uighur minority there feels dwarfed by an influx of Han Chinese that threatens to erode their culture and religion. Already, authorities have placed curbs on how Uighurs can dress, travel and practice their faith. In schools, Uighur students may never learn their own language.

Tohti was seen as a moderate voice promoting equal rights for Uighurs. He has long said he opposes violence, believing dialogue with Beijing will better protect Uighur culture within a united China.

China’s government is also in an officially declared “war” on domestic terrorism to quash a rise in violent attacks it blames on Uighur separatists. More than 200 people have died in violence related to Xinjiang in less than a year. Authorities claim the movement is spreading radical Islam and has links to jihadist fighters outside the country.

Speaking out or freely can be dangerous here and Tohti was doing so amid a crackdown on free speech that has seen other activists and lawyers jailed. Canada was among seven diplomatic missions that tried to gain access to the trial in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, but diplomats were told to go home. Journalists were also barred.

The court claimed Tohti was spreading “lessons containing separatist thoughts” on his website, “Uyghur Online,” which he launched in 2006. Several of his students have been arrested and are likely to be tried too. The verdict against him went on to say, “He bewitched and coerced young ethnic students to work for the website and build a criminal syndicate.”

All of Tohti’s assets have been seized. His wife, Guzailai Nu’er, broke down in the courtroom. Lawyers will appeal the verdict and sentence though few observers believe it will do much good.

Human Rights Watch called the prosecution, “a disturbing example of politicized show trials and intolerance for peaceful criticism.”

“If this is Beijing’s definition of ‘separatist activities’, it’s hard to seen tensions in Xinjiang and between the communities decreasing,” said Sophie Richardson, HRW’s China director.

The case of Ilham Tohti falls into line with China’s history of bristling at criticism and serves as an example of how the regime under Xi Jinping has intensified its crackdown on dissent.

In Xinjiang, police routinely follow foreign journalists and they will question any Uighur interviewed. Those who speak can face detention or imprisonment and so people are hesitant – even outright fearful -- to share opinions. Even the verdict against Tohti cited his willingness for “taking advantage of the international media to put pressure on China.”

A prominent Chinese writer, Wang Lixiong, stirred debate on Twitter when he posted the message: “On September 23, 2014, the Chinese authorities created the Uighur Nelson Mandela.”

China’s state media scoffed at what Xinhua News Agency called the “irritating comparison” between Tohti and the late Mandela. The Global Times deemed it “an insult to Mandela and South Africa”.

Yet Western governments including the United States, Germany and Britain have all publicly condemned the case against Mr. Tohti and the harsh sentence. So far, the Canadian government has said nothing.

Tohti will spend at least 10 years in prison. Before going to the court this week he apparently said to his lawyer, Li Fanping, “Please tell my family and my people, whatever the verdict is, to resist hate.”