The East Turkistan Government-in-Exile (ETGE) criticized the sentencing of 19 Kazakh individuals for advocating the release of an ethnic Kazakh detained in Xinjiang, China. Describing the region as the Uyghurs’ ancestral land, the ETGE expressed dismay over the activists’ conviction in Kazakhstan linked to an anti-China protest.
The court in Kazakhstan found the activists guilty of inciting “inter-ethnic discord” during a demonstration demanding the release of the detained Kazakh in Xinjiang. The ETGE raised concerns over Kazakhstan charging its citizens with “inciting ethnic hatred” for protesting against China near the border.
ETGE accused China of running “concentration camps and slave factories” in Xinjiang, where Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and other Turkic peoples are allegedly mistreated. They criticized Kazakhstan for using its Criminal Code against its citizens following pressure from Beijing, calling it a capitulation to Chinese imperialism.
The ETGE demanded the immediate release of the convicted activists, urging global intervention to safeguard the rights of those held in Xinjiang and denounce China’s actions in the region. They called on the UN and the Organization of Turkic States to oppose China’s activities in East Turkistan and support its independence.
