2015 prison census - China: Nijat Azat
| Publisher | Committee to Protect Journalists |
| Publication Date | 14 December 2015 |
| Cite as | Committee to Protect Journalists, 2015 prison census - China: Nijat Azat, 14 December 2015, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56701fa237.html [accessed 5 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
| Nijat Azat, Shabnam | |
|---|---|
| Medium: | Internet |
| Charge: | Anti-state |
| Imprisoned: | July or August 2009 |
Authorities imprisoned Azat and another journalist, Nureli Obul, in an apparent crackdown on managers of Uighur-language websites. Azat was sentenced to 10 years in prison and Obul to three years on charges of endangering state security, according to international news reports. The Uyghur American Association reported that the pair were sentenced in July 2010.
Their websites, which have been shut down by the government, published news articles and discussion groups on Uighur issues. The New York Times cited friends and relatives of the journalists who said they were prosecuted because they failed to respond quickly enough when they were ordered to delete content that discussed the difficulties of life in Xinjiang.
The Uyghur PEN Center confirmed to CPJ that Obul was released after completing his sentence. Azat's whereabouts were unknown as of October 2015. As is the case with many Uighur prisoners, the government releases little information on where they are being held.
