The Ilham Tohti Initiative (ITI) is a non-governmental organization, that was founded after the unjustly imprisoned Uyghur academic Professor Ilham Tohti. Before Ilham Tohti was imprisoned by the Chinese government, he publicly conducted research and pursued campaigns, including: establishing an open dialogue and peacefully solving the existing conflict between Uyghurs and Han people in the Chinese state; campaigning to eliminating racial discrimination and safeguarding for Uyghurs’ equal citizenship rights before the law; take action and fully implement equal rights for the Uyghurs as equals to the majority Han Chinese; conduct research and publicize these critical issues among the Han Chinese people as well in the international community about how Uyghurs are suffering in the hands of Chinese Government with racial discrimination, injustice before law and with the widespread human rights abuses.

Despite the obvious risk to his life, Mr. Ilham Tohti openly submitted his proposals and opinions to the Chinese government. Unfortunately, he was unfairly tried in Chinese court in 2014 and sentenced to life in prison. Our Initiative will work to release Professor Ilham Tohti. We will continue working on his research and inform the world of his work on the human rights abuses of the Uyghur people, as well as his tireless effort on finding a method for a peaceful solution for the existing Uyghur issues, and it’s possible implementation. Our Initiativeis actively involved in conducting research, investigations and the disclosing of cases of violations to the international community regarding the human rights abuse of the Uyghur people within the criteria of United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and all relevant human rights under the international law.