Seven brothers from a prominent Uyghur family in Kashgar have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from nine to 17 years. Their sentences stem from their charitable activities supporting Uyghurs and their overseas travels, part of the broader mass incarceration campaign against Uyghurs that began in 2017, according to sources familiar with the case.
The Obulqasim brothers — Abdusalam (45), Abduhelil (47), Mametsidiq (49), Yusupjan (51), Memmettursun (54), Pazil (56), and Sabir (62) — were active businessmen involved in construction materials, electrical appliances, and other sectors. They were detained during a wave of mass arrests of Uyghurs and are serving their sentences in Kashgar and Urumqi prisons.
Abduweli Ayup, founder of the Norway-based nonprofit Uyghur Hjelp, confirmed their imprisonment through his network. The Obulqasim family, one of the wealthiest in Kashgar, was targeted as part of the broader crackdown on Uyghur intellectuals, businesspeople, and those with overseas connections.
The Chinese government has targeted Uyghurs under the pretext of fighting separatism and terrorism, penalizing those who communicated with Uyghurs outside Xinjiang or provided financial support. Although Uyghurs were briefly encouraged to get passports after 2010, those who did were later viewed with suspicion, leading to their detention.
The brothers’ father, Obulqasim, who has since passed away, was a watch repairer in Kashgar. His sons expanded their business from selling goods at Id Kah Market to establishing the Aq Orda Trade Center and ventures in cargo shipping and hotels. Pazil, in particular, grew the family business into Central Asia and Turkey, becoming a prominent Uyghur businessman.
The brothers were sentenced in May 2019, with terms of 17, 13, 11, or nine years. Five brothers, including Abduhelil and Pazil, are serving their sentences in Kashgar Prison, while the remaining two are imprisoned in Urumqi.
Pazil and Yusupjan were accused of supporting Uyghurs through charitable activities and their business connections abroad. The other brothers faced accusations of ethnic hatred and discrimination against Han Chinese. Their charitable work included helping orphans, the poor, and contributing to children’s education.
Abduhelil, a filmmaker and entrepreneur who was first arrested in October 2017, was held in pretrial detention and sent to a re-education camp. Released in December 2019, he was rearrested in September 2023 for “inciting separatism” through his cultural films and is currently serving a 15-year sentence in Kashgar Prison.
