Uyghur rights activist Dolkun Isa has said Turkish authorities prevented him from entering the country during a transit stop at Istanbul Airport, calling it a politically motivated measure linked to pressure from China.
Isa, a German citizen and the current president of the Uyghur Center for Democracy and Human Rights as well as a former president of the World Uyghur Congress, said in posts on X on Tuesday that he was again barred from entering Turkey while passing through the airport.
“I am only allowed to see Istanbul from afar. This is not a security matter; it is an open political punishment,” Isa wrote, attributing the restriction to pressure from China.
Isa said he was allowed to remain in the transit area but could not pass through immigration. He also shared photographs showing himself at the airport with his luggage.
Turkey’s entry ban on Isa dates back to 2006. An INTERPOL Red Notice previously issued at China’s request was withdrawn by the international organization on February 26, 2018, but the restriction has remained in place, and Isa said he was deported during a previous attempt to enter the country in 2021.
Turkey has historically been a destination for Uyghur refugees, many of whom share linguistic and cultural ties with the country’s Turkic heritage, but rights groups say Ankara’s approach has become more cautious in recent years as economic and diplomatic ties with China have deepened.
Advocacy organizations, including Human Rights Watch, have reported cases in which some Uyghurs in Turkey faced detention, risks of deportation or difficulties obtaining legal status, prompting criticism that Turkey has at times prioritized relations with Beijing over its earlier image as a safe haven for Uyghurs.
Isa is among the most internationally recognized advocates for Uyghur rights, and human rights organizations have previously criticized Turkey’s refusal to admit him, saying the policy reflects Ankara’s diplomatic balancing in its relations with Beijing.
