Kamile Wayit, a 19-year-old Uyghur female university student was sentenced on 25 March 2023 under the charge of “promoting extremism” after posting a video on WeChat about the November 2022 “A4 protests” in China. A spokesperson from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed her conviction to the Economist magazine but did not confirm the length of the sentencing. According to a source close to Kamile, she had been suffering from depression and was scheduled to have an eye surgery in the summer of 2023. Kamile must be released immediately as she was only peacefully exercising her right to freedom of expression. Pending her release, the Chinese authorities must ensure that she has access to adequate medical care when needed, access to her family and a lawyer of her choice and she is not subjected to torture and other ill-treatment.
