Indian Uyghur Society Welcomes Ramadan, Highlights Religious Persecution in East Turkistan

1 March 2025
Press Release – For Immediate Release
Indian Uyghur Society (IUS)
IndiaUyghur.org
indianuyghursociety@gmail.com

SRINAGAR — As the holy month of Ramadan begins, the Indian Uyghur Society (IUS) extends its warmest wishes to Muslims around the world who are embarking on a month of fasting, prayer, and spiritual reflection. Ramadan is a time when believers fast from dawn to twilight and offer prayers before the Almighty, seeking purification, patience, and closeness to God.

However, for millions of Uyghurs in occupied East Turkistan, this sacred month brings not peace, but intensified persecution. The Chinese government has banned Uyghurs from praying, fasting, or observing any religious rituals throughout the holy month of Ramadan. Mosques have been destroyed or closed, and displaying faith has become a crime punishable by detention and torture. The fundamental right to practice one’s religion is being systematically erased as part of China’s ongoing genocide against the Uyghur people.

"While Muslims worldwide welcome Ramadan with joy, our brothers and sisters in East Turkistan are forced to break their fasts and deny their faith at gunpoint," said Wasim Abdullah, President of the Indian Uyghur Society. "We pray to Almighty Allah to bless all of humanity with peace and prosperity, and we specifically pray for the liberation of East Turkistan so that our people may once again worship freely."

The Indian Uyghur Society calls on the global Muslim community and people of all faiths to remember the plight of the Uyghurs during this holy month, to speak out against China’s war on faith, and to stand in solidarity with those who are forbidden from bowing their heads in prayer.