Saudi Arabia detains Uighur Muslim scholar, fears deportation to China

RIYADH – A scholar Muslim Uighur detained without charge at Saudi Arabia . His family was worried he would be deported to China in the next few days.

Aimadoula Waili, also known as Hemdullah Abduweli, is one of two Uighurs at risk of being deported to China from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

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The scholar traveled to Saudi Arabia in 2020 on a one -year visa from Turkey, where he is an official resident, to perform the pilgrimage to Makkah.

But Waili went into hiding after the Chinese Consulate in Riyadh allegedly asked for his deportation.

Wailii’s daughter, Nurin Hemdullah, said her father could face prison terms and torture if deported to China.

“We haven’t heard our father’s voice for over a year, and we are saddened to learn that he could be sent to China and separated from him forever,” he told Middle East Eye, which was launched Tuesday (11/1/2022).

The Chinese government is accused of detaining more than one million Uighurs and other Muslim minorities in the eastern region of Xinjiang, and of targeting the community for what activists and Western countries call “genocide”.

China denies allegations of such violations.

Moving from one Uighur home to another, Waili relies on the Uighur network in Saudi Arabia to keep him safe. He was afraid that going to the airport would lead to his automatic deportation.

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