Short Introduction
On August 30th, 2018, at around the same time, Memettursun Rozi (مەمەتتۇرسۇن روزى) and Heyiringul Kari خەيىرىگۇل قارى)) were interrogated one after the other by the Ogisak Police Station in Konashehir County. The cause of their interrogation was a message that was considered illegal by the police. The message, which read:
“Happy Ayem (Qurban Festival) to those who accompany the happiness of Ayem, although their eyes are full of tears; Happy Ayem to those who are celebrating the festival while crying inside due to longing for the loved ones who are not by their side; Happy Ayem to those brothers and sisters who care for each other without fathers and mothers by their side; Happy Ayem to those strong mothers who are celebrating the festival without letting their fatherless children feel the absence of their fathers….”
The message was sent by two different individuals. Zorgul Ablimit, the wife of Memettursun Rozi, sent the message directly to him, while a girl from Mekit County, who was part of Heyiringul Kari’s WeChat group, shared it with the group.
As of now, there is no further information regarding the situation of the people mentioned above. However, since the message was deemed illegal and led to the interrogations, it is presumed that they, in particular Zorgul Ablimit, may have been sentenced or sent to a re-education camp.
Interrogation Log (Memettursun Rozi مەمەتتۇرسۇن روزى)
Below are the original files (although they contain many spelling and semantic errors)
[- Times]
Interrogation Log
Time: From 2018 August 30, 02:50 to 2018 August 30, 03:40.
Location: Konashehir County Ogisak Police Station – Investigation Room
The Interrogator (Signature)- Workplace-
The Stenographer (Signature)- Workplace-
The Suspect– Memettursun Rozi (مەمەتتۇرسۇن روزى)
Gender: Male
Age: 36
Birth Date: July 10, 1982
Type and Number of the Identification: 653121198207101712
□ Delegate of the People’s Congress
□ Not a delegate of the People’s Congress
Current Address: 7th Village, 5th Neighborhood, Ogisak Bazaar, Konashahar County
Registered residence area: 7th Village, 5th Neighborhood, Ogisak Bazaar, Konashahar County
□Called to testify □Captured and handed over by others □Self-identified
Suspect / Questioner: Came at – [year] – [month] – [day] – [hour]: -[minute], and departed at -[year] -[month] -[day] -[hour]: -[minute]
The Signature of Suspect / Questioner: –
Question 1: we are Ablikim Memetniyaz 169689)) and Mehmutjan Memet (-), the cadre police officers of the State Internal Security department of the Public Security Bureau in Konashahar County.
Now, we will ask you questions about the case according to the law. You must answer the questions truthfully and precisely. If you lie or distort the evidence, you will be punished more severely according to the law. You have the right to refuse to answer unrelated questions. Do you understand?
Answer 1: I understand clearly.
Question 2: how is your health?
Answer 2: my health is good
Question 3: Is your mental state normal? Can you answer the questions asked?
Answer 3: My mental state is normal, and I can answer the questions asked.
Question 4: Introduce yourself
My name is Memettursun Rozi, male, Uyghur, 36 years old, born on July 10, 1982. My ID number is 653121198207101712. My registered residence and current address is 7th Village, 5th Neighborhood, Ogisak Bazaar, Konashahar County. I have a middle school education. My profession is making musical instruments. There are four people in my family, including myself. I am married and have no criminal record. My contact number is 13579995661.
Question 5: Describe your family’s social relations?
Answer 5: My father, Rozi Hashim (روزى ھاشىم), male, Uyghur, 61 years old, is a farmer and resides in the 7th Village, 5th Neighborhood, Ogisak Bazaar, Konashahar County.
My mother, Tunisa Omer (تۇنسا ئۆمەر), female, Uyghur, 59 years old, is a farmer and resides in the 7th Village, 5th Neighborhood, Ogisak Bazaar, Konashahar County.
My wife, Zorgul Ablimit (زورگۇل ئابلىمىت), 35 years old, is a farmer and resides in the 7th Village, 5th Neighborhood, Ogisak Bazaar, Konashahar County.
My son, Abdusalam Memettursun (ئابدۇسالام مەمەتتۇرسۇن), 6 years old, male, Uyghur, is a student and resides in the 7th Village, 5th Neighborhood, Ogisak Bazaar, Konashahar County.
My son, Omereli Memettursun (ئۆمەرئىلى مەمەتتۇرسۇن), 5 years old, male, Uyghur, is a student and resides in the 7th Village, 5th Neighborhood, Ogisak Bazaar, Konashahar County.
Question 6: Is there anybody in your family who has been detained or re-educated?
Answer 6: No
Question 7: Do you know why we have summoned you to the Investigation Room of the Ogisak Police Station in Konashahar County to ask you questions, according to Article 53 of the Regulations on the Procedures for Handling Administrative Cases by Public Security Organs?
Answer 7: Yes, I do. It is because my wife sent a message to my Wechat account (13579995661) containing content that advocates religious extremism. You verbally asked me to come to the Investigation Room of the Ogisak Police Station in Konashahar County for questioning.
Question 8: Can we notify your family that we are questioning you at the case-handling office of the Ogisak Police Station under the Public Security Bureau of Konashahar County, based on Article 43, Section 1, Subsection 5 of the ‘Regulations on the Procedures for Handling Administrative Cases by Public Security Organs’?
Answer 8: There is no need to notify, as my family is already aware.
Question 9: What is your mobile phone number? Since when have you been using it?
Answer 9: My phone number is 13579995661. I have been using it since May 2011, and it is still in use now. The phone card is under my name.
Question 10: Has your above phone number been suspended by Public Security Bureaus?
Answer 10: No
Question 11: Do you usually use the internet? How do you access the internet? What contact applications do you use?
Answer 11: yes, I do. I usually use WeChat as a contact application.
Question 12: What is your WeChat account? And what about the password?
Answer 12: my WeChat account is 13579995661, I forgot the password.
Question 13: Since when have you been using the WeChat account 13579995661? How did you acquire this account?
Answer 13: I have been using the WeChat account 13579995661 since January 2016. I applied for it online.
Question 14: Who sent illegal message to your WeChat, when, and what was the content?
Answer 14: In the afternoon of the 26th of August 2018, my wife, Zorgul Ablimit (زورگۇل ئابلىمىت), sent me a message on WeChat. The message content was:
“Happy Ayem (Qurban Festival) to those who accompany the happiness of Ayem, although their eyes are full of tears; Happy Ayem to those who are celebrating the festival while crying inside due to longing for the loved ones who are not by their side; Happy Ayem to those brothers and sisters who care for each other without fathers and mothers by their side; Happy Ayem to those strong mothers who are celebrating the festival without letting their fatherless children feel the absence of their fathers….”
Question 15: Did you share the illegal message with others?
Answer 15: No, I did not share it with anyone.
Question 16: Why did your wife send you the above illegal message?
Answer 16: I don’t know the reason why she sent it.
Question 17: If we prove that you shared the above illegal message with others and posted it on WeChat Moments, will you accept the punishment according to the law?
Answer 17: yes, I do.
Question 18: What did you think after seeing the illegal content your wife sent?
Answer 18: I did not think about anything else.
Question 19: How many people were there in your WeChat account with the number 13579995661? How many groups were there?
Answer 19: In this WeChat account of mine, there are approximately 13 or more people, and they are mainly people I do business with.
Question 20: Besides the above, do you have any situation where you have stored illegal audio or video files on QQ, WeChat, or other online platforms?
Answer 20: No.
Question 21: How much do you know about religion?
Answer 21: I don’t have knowledge of the Quran, but I know two verses for prayer.
Question 22: How did you learn the two verses mentioned above?
Answer 22: In June 1999, in order to learn the verses for prayer, I bought a Uyghur version of a Heptiyek (a book for learning basic Arabic alphabet) from a bookseller at Kashgar Hitikah (the largest mosque in Kashgar) for two yuan. From June to July 1999, over the course of about a month, I memorized and learned some verses for prayer.
Question 23: Where is the illegal Uyghur Heptiyek, from which you memorized the verses for prayer?
Answer 23: It was at home from June 1999 to 2000, but later I couldn’t find it when I searched for it.
Question 24: Have you ever received a phone call from abroad or had internet, phone communication with someone from abroad?
Answer 24: No, there has been no such thing.
Question 25: Have you ever gathered with others to listen to religious teachings or discuss Islam?
Answer 25: No, there has been no such thing.
Question 26: Is there anything else you would like to add?
Answer 26: No.
Question 27: Have you ever been involved in any other illegal activities besides the ones mentioned above? Do you know if others have been involved in illegal activities?
Answer 27: No, I have not been involved in any other illegal activities, and I do not know about anyone else’s illegal activities.
Question 28: Is what you said above true?
Answer 28: Yes, it is.
Question 29: After reading the above statement, if what you said matches, sign your signature and press your finger.
Answer 29: –
The Interrogator:
The Stenographer:
On the 30th of August 2018
Interrogation Log (Heyiringul Kari خەيرىگۇل قارى)
Below are the original files (although they contain many spelling and semantic errors)
[- Times]
Interrogation Log
Time: From 2018 August 30, 00:30 to 2018 August 30, 01:40.
Location: Konashehir County Ogisak Police Station – Investigation Room
The Interrogator (Signature)- Workplace-
The Stenographer (Signature)- Workplace-
The Suspect– Heyiringul Kari (خەيىرىنگۇل قارى )
Gender: Female
Age: 24
Birth Date: May 05, 1994
Type and Number of the Identification: 653121199403051729
□ Delegate of the People’s Congress
□ Not a delegate of the People’s Congress
Current Address: First village, 12th Neighbourhood, Ogisak Bazaar, Konashahar County
Registered residence area: First Village, 12th Neighbourhood, Ogisak Bazaar, Konashahar County
□Called to testify □Captured and handed over by others □Self-identified
Suspect / Questioner: Came at – [year] – [month] – [day] – [hour]: -[minute], and departed at -[year] -[month] -[day] -[hour]: -[minute]
The Signature of Suspect / Questioner: –
Question 1: we are Ablikim Memetniyaz 169689)) and Mehmutjan Memet (-), the cadre police officers of the State Internal Security department of the Public Security Bureau in Konashahar County.
Now, we will ask you questions about the case according to the law. You must answer the questions truthfully and precisely. If you lie or distort the evidence, you will be punished more severely according to the law. You have the right to refuse to answer unrelated questions. Do you understand?
Answer 1: I understand clearly.
Question 2: how is your health?
Answer 2: my health is good
Question 3: Is your mental state normal? Can you answer the questions asked?
Answer 3: My mental state is normal, and I can answer the questions asked.
Question 4: Introduce yourself
Answer 4: My name is Heyiringul Kari, female, Uyghur, 24 years old, born on March 5, 1994. My ID number is 653121199403051729. My registered residence and current address is First Village, 12th Neighborhood, Ogisak Bazaar, Konashahar County. I have a high school education. My profession is an accountant at the Huiqijan Second-Hand Car Selling Company. There are three people in my household, including myself. I am married and have no criminal record. My contact number is 15292915525.
Question 5: Describe your family’s social relations?
Answer 5: My father, Qari Emet (قارى ئەمەت), male, Uyghur, 48 years old, is a farmer and First Village, 12th Neighborhood, Ogisak Bazaar, Konashahar County. No prior criminal record.
My mother, Tohtigul Musa (توختىگۇل مۇسا), female, Uyghur, 40 years old, is a farmer and resides in the 7th Village, 6th Neighborhood, Ogisak Bazaar, Konashahar County.
My husband, Rustem Tursun (رۇستەم تۇرسۇن), 24 years old, profession: welder, residing in First Village, 12th Neighborhood, Ogisak Bazaar, Konashahar County. No prior criminal record.
My son, Bilal Rustem (بىلال رۇستەم), 4 years old, male, profession: at home. Uyghur, residing in First Village, 12th Neighborhood, Ogisak Bazaar, Konashahar County.
Question 6: Is there anybody in your family who has been detained or re-educated?
Answer 6: My mother, Tohtigul Musa (توختىگۇل مۇسا), was taken by the Konashahar County Public Security Bureau in October 2017. She is currently in :”re-education”.
Question 7: Do you know why we have summoned you to the Investigation Room of the Ogisak Police Station in Konashahar County to ask you questions, according to Article 53 of the Regulations on the Procedures for Handling Administrative Cases by Public Security Organs?
Answer 7: I know that I am being orally summoned to the case-handling office of the Ogisak Police Station of the Konashahar County Public Security Bureau because someone sent illegal textual materials to the WeChat group linked to my 15292915525 accounts.
Question 8: Can we notify your family that we are questioning you at the case-handling office of the Ogisak Police Station under the Public Security Bureau of Konashahar County, based on Article 43, Section 1, Subsection 5 of the ‘Regulations on the Procedures for Handling Administrative Cases by Public Security Organs’?
Answer 8: There is no need to notify, as my family is already aware.
Question 9: What is your mobile phone number? Since when have you been using it?
Answer 9: My phone number is 15292915525. I have been using it since October 2017, and it is still in use now. The phone card is under my name.
Question 10: Has your above phone number been suspended by Public Security Bureaus?
Answer 10: No
Question 11: Do you usually use the internet? How do you access the internet? What contact applications do you use?
Answer 11: I usually go online, using the internet on my phone. I typically use online communication software such as QQ and WeChat.
Question 12: What is your WeChat and QQ account? And what about the password?
Answer12: My WeChat account is 15292915525, password is: BH; I don’t remember my QQ number by heart.
Question 13: Since when have you been using the WeChat account 13579995661? How did you acquire this account?
Answer 13: I have been using the WeChat account 15292915525 since November 2017. I applied for it online by myself.
Question 14: Who created the group on your WeChat where others posted illegal content, and when was it created? Who are the members of this group?
Answer 14: “I created the group where others posted illegal information in March 2018. The group included around 30 people, such as:
- Hensagul Tursun (about 23 years old, Ogisak Bazaar, 1st Village, 12th Neighborhood),
- Hörinsagul Mijit (about 28 years old, Ogisak Bazaar, 1st Village, 9th Neighborhood),
- Paziliye (about 23 years old, Ogisak Bazaar, 1st Village, 12th Neighborhood),
- Gulnur (about 20 years old, from Zemnilik),
- Hayrinisa (about 28 years old, Ogisak Bazaar, 7th Village),
- Gusunqiz (about 30 years old, Ogisak Bazaar, 1st Village, 10th Neighborhood).
I cannot remember the others.
Question 15: What was your purpose in creating the above-mentioned group?
Answer 15: I created this group to promote and sell women’s clothing
Question 16: Who sent illegal information to the group you created, when, and what was the content?
Answer 16: On August 21st, in the afternoon, a girl from Mekit County, in the group I created (I don’t know her name, her WeChat name is: 为什么) sent a message with the following content:
“Happy Ayem (Qurban Festival) to those who accompany the happiness of Ayem, although their eyes are full of tears; Happy Ayem to those who are celebrating the festival while crying inside due to longing for the loved ones who are not by their side; Happy Ayem to those brothers and sisters who care for each other without fathers and mothers by their side; Happy Ayem to those strong mothers who are celebrating the festival without letting their fatherless children feel the absence of their fathers….”
At first, I did not pay attention when it was sent, but later I noticed it.
Question 17: Did you share the illegal message with others?
Answer 17: No, I did not share it with anyone.
Question 18: After the illegal content was sent to the group you created, what did the members of the group discuss?
Answer 18: We did not discuss it.
Question 19: What did you think after seeing the illegal content sent to the group?
Answer 19: I did not think about anything else.
Question 20: How many people were there in your WeChat account with the number 15292915525? How many groups were there?
Answer 20: I have more than a hundred people in my WeChat, mostly my classmates from middle and high school, colleagues I work with, people I don’t know, a group of relatives, a friends’ group, and two groups from the company I work for.
Question 21: Besides the above, do you have any situation where you have stored illegal audio or video files on QQ, WeChat, or other online platforms?
Answer 21: No.
Question 22: How much do you know about religion?
Answer 22: I don’t have it.
Question 23: Have you ever received a phone call from abroad or had internet, phone communication with someone from abroad?
Answer 23: No, there has been no such thing.
Question 24: Have you ever gathered with others to listen to religious teachings or discuss Islam?
Answer 24: No, there has been no such thing.
Question 25: Is there anything else you would like to add?
Answer 25: No.
Question 26: Have you ever been involved in any other illegal activities besides the ones mentioned above? Do you know if others have been involved in illegal activities?
Answer 26: No, I have not been involved in any other illegal activities, and I do not know about anyone else’s illegal activities.
Question 27: Is what you said above true?
Answer 27: Yes, it is.
Question 28: After reading the above statement, if what you said matches, sign your signature and press your finger.
Answer 28: –
The Interrogator:
The Stenographer:
On the 30th of August 2018
