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Annee Kahler, Media Coordinator
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ChinaAid
July 22, 2010

Since Uyghur Christian prisoner Alimjan Yimit (Alimujiang Yimiti) was moved in April to No. 3 Prison on the outskirts of Urumqi to begin serving a 15-year sentence, it was expected the normal rules regarding monthly supervised family visits would allow his mother and his wife Gulinuer and children to see him again. After being held for over two years in a detention center in Kashgar and denied all contact with family, the possibility of seeing Alimjan was their sole consolation in light of this extremely harsh and unjust sentence. Now, even that hope has been lost as the prison officials, or more likely higher-ups behind them, perpetuate the abuse. They demand a new letter be brought each visit, written and stamped by the local police verifying Alimjan’s wife and mother’s relationship to him. The local police, meanwhile, say it is unnecessary and refuse to cooperate.

After the first visit in April, reported on by China Aid, Alimjan was allowed only one other twenty minute interaction with them in May. Alim’s lawyers have never been allowed to meet with him since being moved into prison. Each week Gulinuer mails a letter to her husband only two of which she knows he’s been given. She has yet to receive a reply. One letter sent to Alimjian in prison was returned to a sender in the U.S. with the words "deceased" written across the envelope. ChinaAid has been unable to confirm the validity of the prison authorities’ message—and Alim remains hidden from the world.

On July 15, two Chinese human rights attorneys testified before the EU Parliament in Brussels on Alim’s case. Hear their remarks.

Christian attorneys Wu Chenglian (middle) and Li Subin (right) testified before the EU Human Rights Committee on Alimjan’s behalf.

Thank you for upholding Alimjan’s family in your prayers. Gulinuer is also very grateful for some of you who have taken the time to e-mail her your words of encouragement and sympathy and sign the online petition at www.FreeAlim.com. These acts serve as tangible evidence of your faithfulness to firmly stand with Alim and his family and the Uyghur church in China through this trial.

Prayer Requests :

1. May God continue to sustain Alim in prison. Nobody has seen or heard anything about him of late.
2. May God give relief to the frustration and powerlessness his family feels and change the hearts of the officials to allow them to visit Alim in prison.
3. May this injustice be somehow set right and Alim be released.
4. May God be glorified through this difficulty and the Uyghur believers be strengthened and multiplied no matter what the outcome.

Visit www.FreeAlim.com to Sign the Petition and encourage Alim and his family today !

© Copyright ChinaAid 2010.
Please contact Annee Kahler, Annee@ChinaAid.org to request permission to reproduce any photos or information presented in this article.