Introduction
The Chinese government has reportedly detained approximately one to three million Muslims in so-called reeducation camps, mainly Uyghurs, constituting the largest mass internment of an ethnic-religious minority group since World War II (Kirby, 2020). Initially denying the existence of the camps and after facing numerous facts, the Chinese government later describes them as vocational training centers where people can get assistance and education. However, reports from human rights organizations, satellite images, and testimonies from former detainees, family members, and former staff revealed the reality of reeducation camps. It is said that people in re-education camps, are subjected to unprecedented surveillance, torture, sterilization, and psychological stress as they are forced to abandon their religious beliefs (Kumar, 2021, p. 48).
Previous research on re-education camps has mainly focused on the detention facilities, conditions and individuals there. However, thousands of interrogation logs, leaked from internal Chinese police websites that recorded by the Konashehir County PD Mush police station, provide detailed insight into the pre-detention process. Notably, the interrogation logs also provide the specific information about when and why individuals were detained or being interrogated, as well as indicate the number of people detained within the same household.
According to Human rights organizations, in Xinjiang (the northwest region of China and home to Uyghurs) Uyghurs have suffered arbitrary arrests without any law process. They were deprived of their fundamental rights to life and freedom of religion and belief (Irwin, 2021). This documentation not only offer a broader understanding of the detention system in Xinjiang and but also reinforce the existing information about the re-education camps.
The thousands of the interrogation logs contain the ID number, name, address, and the family members’ status of the person under interrogation, which helps to verify the authenticity of the logs.
The logs can be divided into two main categories: the logs of the persons under interrogation and the logs of the whistleblowers.
By examining the scale and specifics of these logs, this study aims to further expose the widespread arbitrary detention, torture, control and the surveillance imposed on Uyghur families, this analysis sheds light on the human rights abuses faced by Uyghurs in China’s re-education camps and the widespread impact on their families and communities, contributing to a large evidence that calls for international accountability and justice.
Below are the interrogation log in original language:
Below are the translation of the interrogation log:
Interrogation Log
Time: from 2018 October 4th 12:30 to 2018 October 4th 18:50
Place: Konashehir County PD Tokuzak Bazaar police station
Place——–
Questioner: ___________ sign: ____________
Logger: ______________ Place: _____________
Defendant: Abdurahman Korban, Sex: Male, Nationality: Uyghur, Age: 33, Major: Farmer, Date of born: 1985 July 11th, identification Number: 653121198507110012.
⬜ Member of communist party, ⬜ None member of communist party
Current place of stay: Konashehir County Tokuza Bazaar 3rd Village 3rd Group,
Place of registered: Konashehir County Tokuza Bazaar 3rd Village 3rd Group,
Contact number: 18299879740
(Being called/ Being detained/ Self-reported/, defendant came here at Year: ____ month: ___ day: ___ time:____, leave here at Year:____ month:___ day:___ time:____ ).
Signature of defendant: ____________
Question 1: we are Konashehir County PD Mush police station police officers, now we going to ask you some questions about the cases according to law, you must answer the question with truth, real and right answers, you can not lie, you can not make evidence, you have a right to not answer the questions does not related to the case. Do you understand clearly.
Answer 1: Yes, I understand.
Question 2: identify yourself!?
Answer 2: My name is Abdurahman Korban, Male, Uyghur, born in 1985 July 11th, ID number: 653121198507110012, elementary school education level, Current place of stay Konashehir County Tokuza Bazaar 3rd Village 3rd group, Place of registered Konashehir County Tokuza Bazaar 3rd Village 3rd group, Farmer, there is 5 people living in my family including me, married, no criminal record.
Question 3: give briefing about your history
Answer 3: I born in 1985, I got home educated till 1992, from 1992 September to 2010 march I also helped my family for farming, in 2010 march I got married with Bukhelchem hikim from Tokkuzak Bazaar 3rd Village, till this day I’m working as farmer.
Question 4: is there anybody in your family has been detained or sentenced?
Answer 4: my uncle Nur memet Ismail got detained in September 2017.
Question 5: is there anything you want to report us?
Answer 5: Ghopur from Konashehir County Tokuza Bazaar 3rd Village 3rd group once told me that <you can’t feed your sheep on others filed it would be sins, you become more like Chinese buying han Chinese house living like han Chinese, you’re not even do preaying>
Questions 6: Korban Ghopur when did he told you this and where? Provide more details
Answer 6: in 2017 April I was feeding my sheep on Urayims field front of the Konasheir County prison, Korban Ghopur (My neighbour) came up and said < if you are feeding your sheep on someone else field someone else’s forest that would be sins>
Question 7: Is Korban Ghopur said other things to you?
Answer 7: in 2018 July when I was feeding my sheeps on the field back of my house, Korban Ghopur came out and said <if you feeding your sheep on someone else’s field, at first you make money but your kid or wife might get sick as Karma, you’ve started drinking and smoking not praying because of your Han Chinese next door neighbour>
Question 8: is there anybody present when Korban Ghopur said these words?
Answer 8: Nobody presents
Question 9: do you have any previous conflicts with Korban Ghopur before?
Answer 9: No, there is no conflict before, when I feed my sheep in the forest and the field front of my door he said those things twice.
Question 10: except the situation above do you know anybody else who have committed any crimes?
Answer 10: No, I don’t know.
Question 11: do you have anything to fill?
Answer 11: No
Question 12: is it truth that you have said above?
Answer 12: it’s truth
Question 13: read the log and if it’s same as what you’ve said then sign it.
Answer 13:
Questioner: __________ Logger:______________
2018 October 4th
References
- Kirby, J. (2020, 9 25). Concentration Camps and Forced Labor: China’s Repression Of The Uighurs. Retrieved 9 2023, from Vox: https://www.vox.com/2020/7/28/21333345/uighurs-china-internment-camps-forced-labor-xinjiang
- Kumar, S. (2021). Uyghurs-Genocide of A Specie. Delhi: India Netbooks LLC USA.
- Irwin, P. (2021). Islam Dispossessed: China’s Persecution of Uyghur Imams and Religious Figures.
