Ankara, Feb 10:
Thousands of exiled Uyghurs living in Turkey are increasingly gripped by fear amid reports of arbitrary arrests, threats of deportation, and growing cooperation between Turkish authorities and Beijing, according to a report released on Tuesday. An estimated 50,000 Uyghurs have sought refuge in Turkey after fleeing persecution in northwest China, but many—especially those without Turkish citizenship or valid passports—now fear being forcibly returned to face imprisonment and torture.
An investigative report published by the online magazine Bitter Winter, citing Human Rights Watch (HRW), said Turkey can no longer be considered a safe haven for Uyghurs escaping China’s repression, including the mass detentions and internment in so-called “re-education camps” since 2016. The HRW report, Protected No More: Uyghurs in Turkey, authored by Yalkun Uluyol, highlights recurring waves of detentions involving Uyghur men, women, and even children.
The report detailed a recent incident in which 31 Uyghurs were detained by Istanbul’s counter-terrorism police in late December 2025 during operations targeting suspected ISIS militants. Most of those detained had lived and worked in Turkey peacefully for more than a decade. Following international outcry and legal intervention, they were released without charges.
In another case, a Uyghur mother, Mueyesser Ali, and her one-month-old baby were detained and transferred to the Izmir Deportation Centre, raising fears of forced repatriation to China. They were released a week later after sustained legal challenges and public pressure, again without any formal explanation.
The report also warned that Uyghurs in Turkey face pressure from Chinese authorities to collaborate with state agents through threats against their families still living in China. While many Uyghurs have rebuilt their lives in Turkey—learning the language, raising families, and establishing careers—the growing sense of insecurity has left the community deeply shaken.
The report concluded that the fear of being branded as terrorists at China’s behest has become a “ticking time bomb” for Uyghur refugees who once believed Turkey offered lasting protection.
