Strong support for Ilham Tohti’s Nobel nomination: More than 150 academics in Turkey nominated Ilham Tohti for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.
As the nomination deadline for this year’s Nobel Prizes ended on January 31, Uyghur academic Assoc. Prof. Ilham Tohti, who was unjustly sentenced to life imprisonment by the Chinese government, received significant support in Turkey. As a result of campaigns conducted in Turkey by the Ilham Tohti Initiative, more than 150 academics nominated the Uyghur scholar for the Nobel Peace Prize 2025. The significant increase in this number compared to previous years shows that the campaign for Ilham Tohti has garnered widespread attention both in Turkey and internationally.
More than 150 Academics in Turkey Nominated Ilham Tohti
Campaigns were initiated at the international level for Ilham Tohti’s nomination for the 2025 Peace Prize through the efforts of Enver Can, Chairman of the Ilham Tohti Initiative Movement. In Turkey, this campaign was led by academics such as Istanbul University faculty members Prof. Dr. Ömer Kul and Prof. Dr. Muallâ Uydu Yücel, Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University faculty member Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tekin Tuncer, and Metin Özkan, President of the World Turkic and Related Communities Service Association, reaching a broader audience in Turkey’s academic community.
As a result of the campaigns, support from academics in Turkey for Ilham Tohti reached a remarkable level. Along with numerous academics and politicians from other countries, more than 150 academics from Turkey’s leading universities demonstrated their support by nominating Tohti for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.
Support for Ilham Tohti Growing in Turkey’s Academic Community
Mr. Ömer Kul, the campaign coordinator in Turkey, told Uyghur News that this year’s activities were conducted more professionally, and the number of those nominating Ilham Tohti for the Nobel Peace Prize in Turkey increased fivefold compared to last year. Kul stated, “We have more than 150 academics who nominated Ilham Tohti and reported their results to us; however, we estimate there are also academics who haven’t shared their nominations with us. So, those nominating Tohti for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize from Turkey might be over 200.“
Kul noted that Ilham Tohti has become much more widely acknowledged and supported in Turkey thanks to this year’s activities. He mentioned that there was strong interest in supporting the nomination process.
Kul, the director of the ITI campaign in Turkey, said, “To work harder for the immediate and unconditional release of our colleague İlham Tohti and to try to recruit more academics for his nomination to the Nobel Peace Prize is our moral, religious, and national responsibility.”
Experienced activist Enver Can shared his thoughts on the matter: “As the Ilham Tohti Initiative Movement, I am experiencing the joy of successfully completing our Turkey-focused campaign for nominating the imprisoned Uyghur leader Ilham Tohti for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. Indeed, as of December 31, more than 150 of our academics have nominated Ilham Tohti for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. On behalf of Ilham Tohti’s family and our organization, I would like to thank Prof. Dr. Ömer Kul, Prof. Dr. Muallâ Uydu Yücel, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tekin Tuncel, and all academics who nominated him and everyone who contributed to our campaign. “
Prof. Dr. Muallâ Uydu Yücel emphasized the importance of support for Tohti, saying, “I extend my heartfelt thanks to all my colleagues who supported Ilham Tohti by nominating him for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. Hopefully, Ilham Tohti, who tried to find peaceful solutions to the persecution in East Turkistan and was sentenced to life imprisonment and has been suffering great deprivation, will receive it this year. If not, we will continue our efforts by introducing him to all academics again.“
Panel Events About Ilham Tohti
Thus, the panel discussions and events played an important role in reinforcing support for Ilham Tohti’s nomination. The panel titled “Ilham Tohti’s Life and His Role in the East Turkistan Cause,” was organized jointly by Istanbul University Institute of Turkic Studies, Turkish World Research Foundation, Isa Yusuf Alptekin Foundation, Uyghur Academy, and Ilham Tohti Initiative Movement on January 25.
This event was successfully held despite attempts by Chinese representatives in Turkey to block it through diplomatic channels. The panel detailed Tohti’s life, the unjust punishments imposed by the Chinese government, his peaceful struggle, and his efforts for the rights of the Uyghur people. The panel brought together hundreds of participants, mostly academics, who admired Tohti and embraced his struggle.
Prof. Dr. Ömer Kul moderated the panel. In his opening speech, Kul criticized Chinese interference, saying, “Turkey is not a country where Chinese diplomats can tell us what to do.” Enver Can, the initiator and a co-host of the panel, reminded the audience that China’s plan to silence imprisoned Ilham Tohti had backfired, telling the audience that the best response Turks – especially academics – could give to China would be to nominate the Uyghur academic for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Media coverage: In addition to Uyghur News’ detailed report, Öncü Vatan newspaper published an article titled “Ilham Tohti’s Life and His Role in the East Turkistan Cause.” RFA also published a video report titled “Campaign to Nominate Ilham Tohti for Nobel Peace Prize” and an article titled “Meeting About Ilham Tohti in Istanbul Held Despite China’s Attempts to Obstruct It.”
The nomination of Tohti for the Nobel Peace Prize by more than 150 academics shows increasing support for his peaceful struggle and represents a major step toward greater international recognition of the rights of the Uyghur people. Turkey’s academic community will continue to advocate for Tohti and his just cause to raise global awareness.