Tahir imin bio:
Tahir Imin is an Uyghur, human rights advocate, a scholar of political science and Uyghur language, a former political prisoner (2005-2007), and the founder of Uyghur Times. He serves as the Program Coordinator at Anti-profiling, Civil Rights, and National Security program in Asian American Advancing Justice-AAJC, a leading civil rights advocacy organization in Washington.
Family: Tahir left his Uyghur homeland in 2017 to study at Haifa University before the Chinese government started its large-scale crackdown on Uyghurs and later moved to the United States in July 2017 after being threatened by Chinese authorities. His wife divorced him, concerned that she would be persecuted for her connections to him. More than 30 of his family members have been imprisoned or sent to concentration camps. His mother Turahan, two brothers Adil and Tursun, and sister-in-law Patigul were sentenced to 10-15 years in prison. He has lost contact with the rest of his family, including his then-6-year-old daughter, Banu.
In China: Before leaving his homeland in 2017, Tahir was a successful entrepreneur and defender of Uyghur culture. As former Executive Director of Xinjiang Ozturk International and 30 Oghul business investment, then the leading Uyghur business, he launched the “Uyghur Women Graduate Scholarship “(2012-2016), “Uyghur Knowledge Forum”(2011-2016), “Uyghur Youth Business Association”(2013-2016), Uyghur Intellectuals Forum (2011-2016), to promote the personal and social development, and encourage women to get higher education, all of which were well-received and highly recognized by his community in Uyghur region.
The Uyghur Doppa Cultural Festival, which was initiated by Tahir Imin on May 5, 2009, to promote Uyghur identity and culture, has been celebrated among Uyghurs globally and become a unique national day for Uyghur people.
Times in prison
2000, Tahir was arrested on July 17, 2000, when he was studying at Xinjiang University on suspicion of participation in Uyghur organizations and detained for 7 months in Poskam county, Kashgar.
2005, He was arrested and imprisoned for two years (2005-2007) for publishing an online article about endangered Uyghur culture titled “The Uyghur culture in danger “and spent 14 months in Urumqi Tianshan district detention house （乌鲁木齐天山看守所）in a tiny dark cell crammed with dozens of people and 10 months in Xihu Drug rehab and Labour reeducation camp (新疆西湖戒毒劳教所)in the north.
In Chinese media: Tahir got wide support and recognition from the Uyghur community, and intellectuals While he was in China and was broadly reported by state media including People’s Daily, CRI, Xinjiang Daily, Urumqi TV, and XJTV, for his philanthropic, entrupoenrail success among the Uyghur community. Tahir was ranked No 2 in the most favored and most influential Uyghur youth of 2012 in a first-ever poll organized and participated by Uyghurs (sponsored by prominent Uyghur portal bagdax and Ozturk Business Ltd )
China’s Foreign Ministry: East Turkistan Element, in April 2021, the Chinese foreign ministry and Xinjiang Autonomous regional government accused him of being in a team that built an Uyghur victims’ data Shahitbiz, and referred to him as a separatist and “East Turkistan Element” for his advocacy for Uyghur human rights in the U.S.
Education: Tahir received his bachelor’s degree in language and literature from Xinjiang University(2012). He studied Hebrew at Haifa University, Israel (2017). He obtained a certificate in Open Source Investigation from the Human Rights Center, UC Berkley School of Law.
Overseas life:
Media and Presentations: Starting in 2017, Imin was among the earliest Uyghurs who spoke to the media about what was happening in his homeland. His story, op-eds, and comments have been published in The New York Times (15 times), The Washington Post(7), The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, The Guardian, The New York Post, Al Jazeera, Buzzfeed, Voice of America, TRT World, and CNBC, and numerous other global outlets. He has spoken and given presentations at multiple institutions and think tank panels, including George Washington University, Columbia law school, Towson University, Chicago University, and SXSW in 2019. In 2018, he founded “Watch Uyghur Forum” a platform for international journalists to exchange evidence and witness Uyghur issues and brought the spolight to the issues and topics of China’s family separation program, Uyghur DNA sample extraction program, China’s transnational suppressions of Uyghurs, arresting Uyghur intellectuals program, China’s anti-Uyghur disinformation campaign to the agenda of world media and decision-makers;
Academic works: His first book “English-Uyghur Maxims” was published by Xinjiang People’s publishing house in 2002. He published academic papers on the Uyghur genocide, education, and language policies of China. His books in Uyghur include “Q&A on Uyghur culture”,
and Translations:
Tahir served as the official academic translator of “Commemoration of Nawayi’s 570 Birthday — International Academic Symposium”.
He translated the “Sacred routes of Uyghur history”, translated and published “Uyghur Political Documents”, “The Selected Speeches of Barack Obama”, and” U.S constitution and Declaration of Independence.
Media Op-eds:
Published numerous reports and Op-eds about China and Uyghur issues in multiple media outlets including The Guardian; Advocacy:
Advocacy:
Tahir actively engaged in raising awareness and advocacy work since he came to the U.S and worked with Uyghur groups such as Uyghur American Association, Uyghur Human Rights Project, and the International Uyghur Human Rights and Democracy foundation.
He is also engaged in educating and organizing Uyghurs in the diaspora to stand up and take action for their fellow Uyghurs back home.
Political views: Tahir holds independent standpoints and views in terms of American domestic politics, He is a strong proponent of democratic values. He started the “ Uyghur Reformation Movement “ education and public campaign program to bring new ideas and changes to the Uyghur activism community and broader the Uyghur diaspora. His speeches about national, social, and personal reformation in the Uyghur language have been considered one of the most influential and educational speeches and resources in Uyghur for Uyghur youth.
His contributions and projects he involved include
Uyghur Times: a multilingual media organization that focuses on human rights, based in Washington D.C. that covers the Uyghur situation and Chinese Uyghur policies, Uyghur diaspora, & Central Asia. funded by Uyghur donors and supported by volunteer journalists, The editions of Uyghur became the most popular independent media in the diaspora. Turkish, Chinese, Arabic, Japanese, Russian, German, and French channels became the first sources of the Uyghur issues. English edition became one of the major media that provides trustworthy evidence and insight about Uyghurs.
Uyghur Initiative: a strategic plan and campaign constitutes of multiple programs and projects to empower the Uyghur community and advance their existence and prosperity as a nation.
Uyghur Album is an online gallery to collect and preserve the photos and documents that hold historic and cultural photos values for the Uyghur people.
Uyghur Language Service, a translation service provides a platform for both Uyghur translators and foreigners who need Uyghur language services and resources.
Uyghar Education, is an online education and public lecture platform, to produce, train, and share ideas, knowledge, and skills that Uyghurs in the diaspora need and want to learn, has published more than 50 video scripted lessons on Youtube, its website, and other social media platforms;
Tahir Imin also serves as an Uyghur advisor for the organization Jewish Movement for Uyghur Freedom.