Dear Friend,

This morning, we woke up to the devastating news that Ilham Tohti, the 2014 PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award Winner, was sentenced to life in prison by a court in China. PEN's denunciation of the verdict was cited in the New York Times’ this morning.

This photo of Tohti at trial was released by China's official state media. "Ilham has suffered tremendously," writes his friend Elliot Sperling. "But he is not a broken man, not by any means."

A writer, scholar, and leader in Uyghur PEN, Ilham Tohti founded Uyghur Online, a forum for dialogue between China’s Muslim Uyghur minority and majority Han populations. He was arrested in a violent raid on his home in January of this year and charged with “separatism”—an allegation that his writings firmly reject.

Those who were with us at this year’s PEN Gala will never forget the sight of Ilham’s daughter, 19 year-old Jewher, standing at the podium in a traditional Uyghur hat to call us all to action in demanding her father’s release. “I want to emphasize one point,” she said this morning. “My father did not commit a crime. My father did not harm anyone. My father is innocent. Even a one-year sentence is unacceptable, much less life imprisonment!”

As he was dragged out of the court this morning, Ilham spoke the last words we may hear from him in a long time: “This is not just! I won’t give in.”

We hope you, too, will refuse to give in. PEN is working with our partners to provide material support to Tohti's family, whose assets have been seized as a result of the conviction. We will reach out with further plans in the coming days, but for the moment please use this form to send a personal message of support to Jewher and her family, including Ilham’s wife Guzelnur and their two young sons. PEN will ensure that all of your messages are translated and transmitted to Ilham’s family at this difficult time.

With thanks,

Peter Godwin, President
Suzanne Nossel, Executive Director