Mother and Children Imprisoned for Teaching Quranic Verses

 Mother and Children Imprisoned for Teaching Quranic Verses

A 49-year-old Uyghur woman in China has been sentenced to prison for teaching Quranic verses to her two children and a neighbor. Chinese authorities confirmed this information to Radio Free Asia.

The woman, identified as Seylihan Rozi, was sentenced to 17 years in prison and will serve her time in China’s Xinjiang province.

A police officer from Seybagh village, who oversaw the case, stated that Rozi was convicted for engaging in "illegal underground religious activities." The officer mentioned that she was teaching 10 verses from the Quran but refrained from providing further details.

According to a report by Hindustan Times, Rozi’s two children and a neighbor were also sentenced to prison. One of her children received a 10-year sentence, the other 9 years, while the neighbor was sentenced to 9 years for participating in the so-called illegal religious education.

Reports indicate a growing number of penalties in Xinjiang for Uyghur Muslims practicing their faith or engaging in religious activities.

In 2022, the United Nations reported severe human rights violations against Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang. Additionally, a 2021 study revealed that China's birth control policies could reduce the Uyghur Muslim population in Xinjiang by one-third within the next 20 years.