Muslim Activist's Son Sentenced to Prison in China for Tax Evasion

穆斯林活动人士之子被以偷漏税被判刑

A Chinese rights group says the youngest son of Rebiya Kadeer, a U.S.-based ethnic Uighur activist, has been sentenced to seven years in a Chinese prison for tax evasion. The Uighur American Association says a court in China's predominately Muslim Xinjiang region also fined the son 62-thousand dollars --- while his older brother was fined 12-thousand dollars for the same charges. The organization says it fears a third brother -- who is currently in detention on charges of subversion -- is being tortured.

Rebiya Kadeer is the president of the Uighur American Association. Kadeer spent six years in a Chinese prison for criticizing the government's rule of China's Uighur-dominated Xinjiang region. She was paroled and exiled to the United States in 2005. Kadeer says her sons are innocent, and linked their persecution to her recent election as president of the World Uighur Congress.

一个中国人权组织说，在美国的维吾尔族活动人士热比娅最小的儿子因为偷税漏税被判处7年徒刑。维吾尔美国协会说，穆斯林人口聚居的新疆维吾尔自治区的一家法庭还对热比亚的小儿子处以6万2千美元的罚款，他的哥哥也被以同样的罪名罚款1万2千美元。该组织说，他们担心热比娅的另外一个因颠覆罪名而在押的儿子受到折磨。

热比娅是维吾尔美国协会主席。她因为批评中国政府对新疆的统治被监禁6年。2005年，她获得假释后流亡美国。热比娅说，她的儿子是无辜的。她认为，他们受到的迫害与她最近当选世界维吾尔代表大会主席有关。