EU confirms it has again raised Ilham Tohti’s case and broader Uyghur rights concerns with China in June’s Human Rights Dialogue, responding to civil society’s appeal.
The European Union has confirmed that it raised the case of imprisoned Uyghur scholar Ilham Tohti during the 40th EU-China Human Rights Dialogue, held in Brussels on June 13, 2025.
In a letter dated July 1 and addressed to Mr. Enver Can, President of the Ilham Tohti Initiative; Prof. Marie Holzman, President of Solidarity Chine; and Susanne Kohler and Gerhard Keller, Board Members of Wahrheitskämpfer e.V., EEAS Deputy Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific Ms. Paola Pampaloni responded on behalf of Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The civil society leaders had written to President von der Leyen and other EU leaders in December 2024, urging them to press the Chinese government for the immediate release of Professor Tohti and to support his nomination for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.
In her response on behalf of President von der Leyen, Pampaloni stated that she, as the EU co-chair of the Human Rights Dialogue, had raised “in detail” the EU’s concerns about China’s human rights record, including in Xinjiang. She specifically mentioned the cases of Ilham Tohti, Gulshan Abbas, Rahile Dawut, and others, and called for their immediate release.
Pampaloni also emphasized that the EU is deeply concerned about Ilham Tohti’s lack of contact with his family, including his daughter living abroad. She noted that during the dialogue, she obtained a pledge from the Chinese side that any written request for a phone call would be considered in accordance with relevant Chinese laws.
The letter reaffirmed the EU’s continued commitment to addressing human rights violations in Xinjiang. Pampaloni assured the civil society representatives that these issues will remain on the agenda in both bilateral discussions with Chinese authorities and international forums, including the United Nations. She also confirmed that President von der Leyen is kept regularly informed of developments in China by the European External Action Service (EEAS).
Mr. Enver Can, Founding President of the Ilham Tohti Initiative (ITI) and the initiator of the above letter, welcoming the response by Ms. Pampaloni, said:
“It’s good news that the EU has been continuously engaged with the Uyghur scholar’s case. But as international concerns have been growing about both the mental and physical health of Ilham Tohti, herewith I repeat my call to bring him to an EU country for medical treatment. We don’t want the Sakharov Award Laureate to die like Liu Xiaobo in a Chinese prison due to lack of medical care.”
Ilham Tohti, a respected economist and advocate for Uyghur rights, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2014 on charges of separatism. His case has been widely condemned by human rights organizations and Western governments.
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