Uyghur PEN Board Members
Publications
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Bearing Witness to Imprisoned Souls
Aziz Isa Elkun’s Reflections On the Publication of the Uyghur Poetry AnthologyImprisoned Souls: Poems of Uyghur Prisoners in China Book Launch Speech by Aziz Isa Elkun16 December 2025, Yunus Emre Enstitüsü, London Throughout history, humanity has witnessed profound suffering from oppressive rulers and inhumane wars. The most powerful poetry, like other forms of artistic expression, often emerges from those who have endured unimaginable hardship: exploitation, poverty, invasion or genocide. As a reflection of the Uyghurs’ social and political struggles, their poetry has consistently expressed their desire to live freely in their homeland. Themes of love, survival, and the resolute determination for a better future have always been central to their work. Since completing my first major translation project, the anthology Uyghur Poems, published by the UK’s Everyman’s Library in October 2023, I have become deeply engaged in exploring Uyghur poetry further. My focus has increasingly shifted to the persecuted Uyghur poets. As I learned more about the ongoing persecution and extrajudicial punishments imposed on Uyghur intellectuals, particularly the mass detention, arrest, and disappearance of Uyghur poets, I became increasingly restless. The weight of these atrocities pressed upon me, and I felt a deep, unwavering need to bring their poetic voices to the wider world. The simple act of writing poems had led to their persecution, and I knew that their precious works must not be lost to silence. It became my mission to translate these poems and preserve the voices of those who are no longer able to speak. The knowledge that many of my poet friends are languishing in Chinese prisons has haunted me daily. Despite the challenges of obtaining reliable information about the detained and imprisoned Uyghur poets, I began my investigation in 2017. I began the painstaking task of collecting their poems from published books, magazines and online sources, […]
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Almaty Hosts Presentation of the Novel “Eternal Voice”
On July 11, 2025 at 4:00 PM, a book presentation for the novel Eternal Voice by Uyghur writer Talat Baki Mollahaji Oghli was held at the “Korgan” Café in Almaty. The event was organized by the Kazakhstan branch of the International Uyghur PEN Center (Uyghur PEN), in collaboration with the Uyghur PEN Center and the “Ghulja Yoli” Meshrep community in Almaty. The author dedicated the book to the memory of his friends, comrades, and relatives who gave their lives in the struggle for freedom and independence. The novel recounts the brutal political movements that took place in the Uyghur homeland during the 1950s and 1960s, under slogans such as “Thought Reform,” “Steel and Iron Smelting,” and the “Great Leap Forward of China.” Through the life of its protagonist, Ablet, the work captures the suffering, pain, and grave socio-political upheavals endured by the Uyghur people, brought about by the countless persecutions, massacres, and atrocities committed by the communist colonial authorities. The ceremony was moderated by young poet Abduljan Aznabaqiev. Alisher Helilov, Secretary-General of the International Uyghur PEN Center and Director of the “MIR” Publishing House, addressed the audience, outlining the book’s publishing process. Vil’yam Molotov, board member of the Uyghur PEN Center and leader of the “Ghulja Yoli” Meshrep, spoke about the author’s biography and the publication of the novel in Kazakhstan. The book’s editor, Rexmetzhan Ghojemberdiev, emphasized the work’s contemporary relevance. Prominent intellectuals, including Jemshit Rozaxunov, Awut Mesimov, Hakimjan Guliev, Aznat Talipov, Yoldash Molotov, and Rexmetjan Yüsüpov, took part in the event and expressed their deep appreciation for the work. The head of the Uyghur PEN Center’s board, renowned artist Dr. Hakimjan Guliev, together with acclaimed writer Hemit Hemraev, warmly congratulated the author and presented him with a traditional Uyghur robe and doppa as a keepsake. In his closing remarks, the author […]
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Uyghur Poems
Edited by Aziz Isa ElkunTranslated by Aziz Isa Elkun and othersPublished: 26/10/2023EVERYMAN’S LIBRARY POCKET POETSPenguin Random House An unprecedented collection of poems spanning the rich two-thousand-year cultural legacy of the Uyghur people of Central Asia. EVERYMAN’S LIBRARY POCKET POETS. The Uyghurs have a long and glorious history of poetry, dating from the oral epics of the second century BCE through the elegant love poetry of the medieval period and up to the present moment -and much of it has never before been translated into English. Uyghur poetry reflects the magnificent natural landscapes at the heart of the Silk Road region, with its endless steppes, soaring mountain ranges, and vast deserts, as well as its turbulent history. Turkic, Sufi, and Persian influences have shaped the poetic tradition over the centuries, and more recently the modernism of the twentieth century left its mark as well. In the face of the systematic persecution of the Uyghurs in China today, which has driven many of their poets into exile, including the editor and translator of this volume, Aziz Isa Elkun, who lives in London. Uyghur Poems is not only a remarkable one-volume tour of an ancient and vibrant poetic tradition but also a vital witness to a threatened culture. EVERYMAN’S LIBRARY POCKET POETSPenguin Random Househttps://www.penguin.co.uk/books/457502/uyghur-poems/9781841598307 Uyghur Poems Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Uyghur-Poems-Everymans-Library-Pocket/dp/1101908343 _________________________________
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“But a thorn was left in our tongue …”
by Aziz Isa Elkun 25 June 2021 Brussels Morning Newspaper London (Brussels Morning) The Uyghurs love poetry, which is very special to them. It is an essential part of Uyghur cultural heritage and expression, and plays an important role in the continuation of creativity and developing the Uyghur language and literature. The poet Adil Tunyaz shocked the Uyghur world with his poem, written in 1992, “Qeshqerdiki yershari” (The earth of the city of Kashgar). It was read by many Uyghurs, and he became one of our most celebrated poets, with a special place in the hearts of the Uyghurs. يۇلتۇزلار پەرۋاز قىلار تاڭ سەھەردە، پەسىللەر پەرۋاز قىلار دەرەخلەردە، بۇ شەھەر پەرۋاز قىلار چۆچەكلەردە. بۇ يەردىكى ئادەملەر، پەرۋاز قىلار يۈرەكلەردە. The stars are soaring at dawn, The seasons are flying in the trees, The city is soaring in legends. The people here, Soar in our hearts. Who is Adil Tunyaz? He was born in 1970 into a teacher’s family in Qaghiliq County of Kashgar Prefecture. After graduating from the Literature Faculty of Xinjiang University in 1993, he worked as a reporter for the Xinjiang People’s Radio Station in Urumchi. I first met Adil in September 1989 when both of us were studying at Xinjiang University. I studied Russian at the Foreign Languages Department, and Adil studied Literature at the Literature department. These two departments were located inside a two-storey Soviet-style building; we called it “seriq bina” (the yellow building) because its walls were painted yellow. In those years, our student lives were full of turmoil; we had experienced a series of demonstrations and protests in the fast-changing political landscape of China before the Tiananmen Student movement was brutally oppressed. Though we were university students, our daily life was regimented; we had two compulsory evening self-study sessions after dinner. Adil was interested in learning […]
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Qurban Mamut, a retired Uyghur editor held incommunicado in China
Published by Uyghur PEN on 15th February 2021 Qurban Mamut, a 70 years old poet, prominent journalist, and retired editor for an Uyghur language magazine the “Xinjiang Civilization”, was held in incommunicado by Chinese authority since February 2018, according to his son Bahram Qurban, who said the arrest is being used as leverage against him because he is living in exile in the U.S. Bahram said to the Radio Free Asia on 18 October 2018 “My father never committed any crime, but the authorities regularly arrest people who have relatives living abroad [to gain leverage over them]. I believe that is why he was arrested. While it isn’t my fault, I feel that I am the reason for his arrest.”[1] After Qurban Mamut stayed incommunicado at the “Re-education Camp’ for more than three years, his son’s tirelessly campaigned and searched about his father. Finally, one Han Chinese staffer at the Xinjiang Hall of Public Culture told Bahram that she knew his father’s detainment.[2] He worked as a reporter and editor at Xinjiang Radio Station from 1976 to 1984, and Vice Editor-in-Chief at one of the most well-known magazines, Xinjiang Civilization, from 1985 to 2011. He was never a member of the Chinese Communist Party. In 2011, he retired at age 61. After he retired, he worked part-time as a requested Editor-in-Chief at Xinjiang Science Publishing house. In his more than 40 year career, he made tremendous contributions to Uyghur journalism and culture. Qurban Mamut ((库尔班 ·⻢木提), he visited his son Bahram Qurban[3] in the US in February 2017. His son, a U.S. citizen, believes that having relatives outside China is the reason behind his father’s detention. A source told him in September 2018 that Qurban Mamut had been sent to a “transformation-through-education” facility. Given his age and lack of information about his condition, there are severe concerns for […]
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Omerjan Hasan was arrested in April 2016 and his fate is unknown
Published by Uyghur PEN on 11th February 2021 Omerjan Hasan, a well-known Uyghur writer, journalist, and webmaster. He was arrested in April 2016 by Aksu Police. Since then, his situation is unknown.[1] He born in February 1965 (ethnicity Uyghur, male, Chinese citizen; name in Chinese: Wumei’erjiang Aishan -吾买尔江.艾山, in Uyghur: Omerjan Hasan). He was formerly employed as a translator and vice director of the Forestry section of the Aksu Prefecture Forestry Department. The Radio Free Asia first reported about his arrest in July 2016.[2] Since his arrest, his family and friends had not been informed of his whereabouts, and there was no announcement of official charges against him. According to the Radio Free Asia Cantonese news report and interview on 1st June 2016, an official announcement was published on the Aksu Prefectural Communist Party Disciplinary Committee website. The announcement said: “Omerjan Hasan had been expelled from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) because he had published articles which promoted an incorrect impression of the history of Xinjiang, endangering national and ethnic unity, and damaging the image of the CCP.” Soon after this news was published on the Aksu government website, it spread to international news media, and the announcement was quickly removed. Subsequently the Radio Free Asia Uyghur Service conducted a telephone interview in Aksu covering Omerjan Hasan’s arrest. [3] Omerjan Hasan wrote and published many books and articles which aimed to promote equal civil and political rights for Uyghurs in China. He was well known to the Uyghur community by his pen name “Bozqir” (aka: Omerjan Hasan Bozqir). He also had a good reputation in the wider Chinese-speaking sphere for his Chinese language articles. He was owner and webmaster of a Uyghur language website and discussion forum named “bozqir” (http://bbs.bozqir.com.cn/forum.php). His website was blocked soon after his arrest.[4] He was accused of publishing “incorrect articles” about the history of Xinjiang, and […]
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