Merdan Ghappar

Merdan Ghappar is a Chinese model and political prisoner of Uyghur heritage. He became known for his internment in one of China's Xinjiang re-education camps in 2020. Ghappar smuggled video footage and text messages from his internment camp to family members in Europe, who then passed the material on to the press. As of 5 August 2020, his status was unknown.

Childhood and early career

Ghappar was born in Kucha, Xinjiang, China. He studied dance at Xinjiang Arts University before moving to Eastern China in 2009, eventually finding work as a model for online marketplace Taobao in Foshan.[1]

Detentions

As an Uyghur, Ghappar risked detention in the Xinjiang re-education camps. While living in larger Chinese cities, Ghappar was told hide his Uyghur heritage and describe himself as having European features. When he bought an apartment, he was forced to use a Chinese friend's name as he was unable to secure a deposit using his Uyghur name.[1]

Ghappar lived in Foshan until 30 July 2018, when he was arrested and charged with "selling five grams of marijuana" by the Nanhai District Court of Foshan in South China's Guangdong Province.[2][3] His family denies the charges, and his friends protested that the charge was trumped up.[1] Ghappar was sentenced to 16 months in prison, and he was released in November 2019. In December he was told he needed to return to Xinjiang for a "routing registration procedure". Evidence shows that he was not suspected of any further offense.[1] In January 2020 he was flown to Xinjiang and taken to his home city of Kucha, after which he disappeared into the camps.[1] According to his uncle, the likely reason for Ghappar's detention was Ghappar's uncle's involvement in overseas protests against the Chinese government.[1]

According to Ghappar's account (later smuggled out),[1] he was placed in a holding cell with other Uyghur political prisoners before being sent to a re-education camp. He described being subjected to Chinese government propaganda, being abused by guards, and listening to other prisoners being tortured. Initially held with other prisoners, Ghappar was still incarcerated when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the camp's administration to adopt containment measures, including the taking of prisoner's temperatures to test for COVID-19 symptoms.[1] When his temperature was found to be higher than average, he was separated from the main body of prisoners; he was also allowed access to usually-restricted personal effects, which included his personal phone. Using the phone, Ghappar used WeChat to send a number of text messages to his family describing conditions in the camp, and also took self-videos of himself (one of which showed how he had been handcuffed to his bed).[1][4][5][6]

Ghappar's messages continued for several days before ceasing. As of 5 August 2020, his status is unknown.[1][4] In a fax released on in early August, Chinese authorities claimed that Ghappar had been detained due to a risk of self harm and due to aggressive actions against police officers.[7]

Report from internment

Ghappar sent his messages and videos to his family, who in turn forwarded them to his uncle in the Netherlands.[1] Though they were aware that publishing his content would put him in danger, Ghappar's family chose to send his content to the press. Professor James Millward of Georgetown University translated Ghappar's texts to English.[1]

German anthropologist Adrian Zenz noted that Ghappar's material was particularly important as it showed that the Xinjiang camps were still in use.[8]

References
  1. Sudworth, John (2020-08-04). "Uighur model sends rare video from Chinese detention". BBC News. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
  2. "China defends detention of Uighur model in Xinjiang". BBC. 17 August 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  3. VanderKlippe, Nathan (3 August 2020). "Inside a Uyghur's 'quarantine' room: Video shows shackles, filthy conditions and propaganda". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  4. Davidson, Helen (2020-08-05). "Secret footage shows Uighur man's detention inside Chinese prison". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
  5. "Model's rare video highlights plight of Uighur Muslims in China". WION. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
  6. Illés, Szurovecz (2020-08-05). "Az ágyhoz kötözve, az agymosó hangosbeszélő zajával a háttérben küldött magáról videót egy ujgur modell". 444. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
  7. "China says detained Uyghur model was 'aggressive' after he described mistreatment in detention". Retrieved 2020-09-08.
  8. "Merdan Ghappar had niets met politiek maar zit toch in een Chinees strafkamp". NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 2020-08-05.
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