Jailed Uygur dissident Ilham Tohti wins top European human rights prize
- Economist has been serving a life sentence in China since 2014 on separatism-related charges
- Before his arrest he had called on Beijing to ease tensions in Xinjiang
Jailed Uygur academic Ilham Tohti has been awarded one of Europe’s top human rights prizes, as Beijing comes under pressure over its treatment of the predominantly Muslim population in its far western Xinjiang region.
He shares the award with the Youth Initiative for Human Rights, a group promoting reconciliation in the Balkans.
“Their admirable courage enables them to resist misunderstanding and rejection, as well as political pressure, which in Mr Tohti’s case resulted in a criminal conviction for expressing his views freely,” said Liliane Maury Pasquier, president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, which sponsors the prize.
“Their action carries a message of hope for all those who aspire to a better world, where dignity, rights and fundamental freedoms of all are respected and guaranteed,” Pasquier added.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang in August called for Tohti’s award nomination to be withdrawn, because he had been convicted on charges of subversion and supporting terrorism.