History of the East Turkestan / Uyghur independence movement

Sources for this page

Each number marks a specific claim. Notes give the source, its locator and how it relates to the claim.

1. 1.

   Claim: The First East Turkestan Republic, also called the Turkic Islamic Republic of East Turkestan, was a breakaway state centred on Kashgar that emerged from the Kumul Rebellion following the abolition of the semi-autonomous Kumul Khanate; it existed briefly from 1933 to 1934 before being suppressed by Chinese forces, including the Chinese Hui Muslim 36th Division, following battles at Kashgar in 1933 and 1934.

   • East Turkestan independence movement (Wikipedia) link, First East Turkestan Republic section. Source record
2. 2.

   Claim: The Second East Turkestan Republic existed from 1944 to 1946, encompassing the three northernmost districts of Xinjiang Province — Ili, Tarbagatay and Altay — and emerged from the Ili Rebellion of November 1944, initially receiving backing from the Soviet Union.

   • Second East Turkestan Republic (Wikipedia) link, Formation and Soviet backing section. Source record
3. 3.

   Claim: On 31 August 2022, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights published an assessment of human rights concerns in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, prepared in response to allegations raised since late 2017 in the context of Chinese government counter-terrorism and anti-extremism policies. The assessment found that the extent of arbitrary and discriminatory detention of Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities "may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity," and reported credible allegations of torture or ill-treatment, sexual and gender-based violence, and coercive family-planning enforcement. This bundle presents these as the OHCHR's own attributed findings, not as independently adjudicated fact by this bundle.

   • UN Human Rights Office issues assessment of human rights concerns in Xinjiang, China (Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)) link, Report Overview and Key Findings sections. Source record