Uyghur rapper serving prison term in China for composing lyrics deemed to promote 'extremism'

26-year-old Yashar Shohret have not been seen in 20 months.

The rapper had previously participated in the 2022 “White Paper” protests in China.

He was arrested on August 9, 2023, in Chengdu, Sichuan province.

A new report by Weiquanwang, or Rights Protection Network, a loose network of volunteers in China and abroad seeking to promote legal reforms in China, found that Shohret had been sentenced on June 20, 2024, to three years in prison on charges of “promoting extremism” and “illegally possessing items promoting extremism", reported RFA.

He appealed the verdict, but the second trial also upheld the original decision.

His prison term, as per the verdict, lasts till August 8, 2026.

The group said he is currently serving is prison term in Wusu Prison in Xinjiang.

Overseas Uyghur youth activist Aman, who prefers a pseudonym for safety reasons, told RFA that the Chinese Communist Party has used high-profile arrests to set an example, but now they often make people “disappear quietly,” without announcing charges or public sentencing.

Who are Uyghur Muslims?

Uyghur Muslims are a Turkic ethnic minority group originating from and culturally affiliated with the general region of Central and East Asia.

The Uyghurs are recognized as native to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China.