Writers at Risk Database

Iminjan Seydin

Uyghur historian and publisher Seydin disappeared in 2017 and was sentenced to 15 years in prison for “inciting extremism” in late 2019, likely for his involvement in publishing an… More

Ablajan Siyit

Siyit, the deputy editor-in-chief of the Uyghur-run Kashgar Publishing House, was detained in a sweep of arrests in 2018 for his role in the publication of books deemed “problematic”… More

Writers at Risk

Osman Zunun

Zunun, a staff member at Uyghur-run Kashgar Publishing House, was detained in a sweep of arrests for his role in the publication of books deemed “problematic” for their “improper”… More

Abdurahman Abey

Abey was arrested in July 2018 on suspicion of involvement in separatism and religious extremism, and his current whereabouts are unknown. A Communist Party official, Abey had worked in… More

Memetjan Abliz Boriyar

Boriyar was one of 14 staff members at the Uyghur-run Kashgar Publishing House to be arrested and detained in 2018 for his role in the publication of books deemed… More

Yao Wentian Yiu Mantin

In 2013, Yao was sentenced to ten years in prison for smuggling ordinary items, but his friends believe the publisher was set up. As of 2019, he is reported… More

Writers at Risk Database

Yang Maodong Guo Feixiong

Yang served six years in prison over protests against corruption and censorship in 2013. He was assaulted and denied proper medical care in prison. He was finally released conditionally… More

Writers at Risk Database

Gui Minhai

A Swedish citizen, Gui was one of five Hong Kong booksellers to disappear in 2015 and resurface in Chinese custody. While the others have been released, Gui spent years… More

Writers at Risk Database

Shahzahan Bachchu

On June 11, 2018, extremists murdered secular writer Bachchu in a drive-by shooting. Three of the four suspects were later killed in police shootouts, but the legal case is… More

Writers at Risk Database

Faisal Arefin Deepan

Deepan, a publisher of secular books, was stabbed to death by extremists in 2015. In late 2019, eight militants were indicted in a murder case filed on Deepan’s behalf,… More