Sexual abuse at Uyghur education centre! Uyghur organisation official: There are far more child victims

It had previously been reported in the media that an employee named Ahmet Kader sexually abused 7 Uyghur children at the Oku Uygur Bilig Yurdu — a preschool, primary school, and middle school-level education centre for Uyghur children affiliated with the Uygur İlim Marifet Vakfı (Uyghur Science and Culture Foundation) in Silivri. Kader, for whom an arrest warrant had been issued, was apprehended approximately one week later by Uyghur families and handed over to the gendarmerie.

According to a report by Ercan Küçük, the indictment prepared by the Silivri Chief Public Prosecutor's Office sought the prosecution of Ahmet Kader on charges of "Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child," "Sexual Abuse of a Child," "Deprivation of Liberty by Force, Threat, or Deception," "Deprivation of Liberty," "Using Children in the Production of Obscene Publications," and "Inciting a Child to Read or Watch Obscene Publications." The 3rd hearing in the case, in which Kader is the sole defendant, was held on 9 January.

ADMINISTRATORS ARE MEMBERS OF A RADICAL RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY

A Uyghur organisation official who spoke to us about the sexual abuse incident in Silivri drew attention to the fact that the administrators of the Uygur İlim ve Marifet Vakfı and the affiliated so-called "Oku Uygur Bilig Yurdu ve Etüt Merkezi" are individuals who belong to a radical religious community.

The organisation official, speaking to 12punto, recalled that the foundation administrators had helped the defendant escape and stated that these administrators should also be prosecuted. The Uyghur organisation official, who alleged that some Uyghur religious scholars had enlisted politicians close to them in order to have the matter closed, said the following:

"When you look at the identities of the administrators of the Uygur İlim ve Marifet Vakfı and the affiliated so-called 'Oku Uygur Bilig Yurdu ve Etüt Merkezi' that you are referring to, it becomes clear that they are all members of a radical religious community whose sole livelihood comes from religious teaching and activities. These foundation and school administrators, who protected and shielded the defendant — who is currently under arrest for sexual assault and harassment — and helped him flee after the disgraceful incident, must be investigated for 'harbouring' the defendant. Because it is evident that the administrators named Habibullah Kusen (Kuseni Abukusen) and Abdurehim Teşna attempted to cover up the sexual abuse of young children. I believe that the administrators of the Doğu Türkistan Maarif Hareketi (East Turkestan Education Movement), to which this foundation belongs, and the so-called Uyghur religious scholars — who showed no reaction to this vile incident — enlisted politicians close to them on the grounds that this disgraceful incident would harm the Uyghur cause."

"FAMILIES ARE STAYING SILENT OUT OF FEAR"

The Uyghur organisation official also disclosed that the number of children who have been sexually abused is greater than what is known. Noting that they had received indirect approaches from other victim families, the organisation official stated that the families are remaining silent because they are afraid:

"There were indirect approaches from victim families. We advised them to seek their legal rights. We are already monitoring criticism related to this disgraceful incident on various social media accounts. As a result of this monitoring, we received information that, in addition to the six children aged between 4 and 12 who were subjected to sexual assault and harassment, there are other children who have also been sexually abused. The total number, including the 7 children, appears to be 12. However, families prefer to remain silent for the sake of their reputation in the community and their children's futures. It has also come to our attention that among these children there are orphans whose families are not here or have passed away. Unfortunately, however, there is no clear information regarding their identities."

FUNDED BY A CANADIAN FOUNDATION

The Uyghur organisation official also explained the domestic and international connections of the foundation where the sexual abuse took place, with the following words:

"If you also take into account that the Uyghur organisations that remained silent in the face of this vile and disgraceful incident and the Uygur İlim Marifet Vakfı receive financial support from the same sources, you will better understand why they stayed silent in the face of this sexual abuse. For example, the Canadian aid foundation called İCNA Relief Canada Foundation and the 'Sayeda Hajia Centre,' which provided financial support to the Uygur İlim ve Marifet Vakfı for the construction of homes, are also seen to be cooperating with organisations affiliated with the Maarif Hareketi and so-called Uyghur religious scholars. Beyond this, the statute stipulating that, in the event of the closure or dissolution of the Uygur İlim İrfan Vakfı, its assets would be transferred to another foundation affiliated with DTSB (apparently the SİM Vakfı), demonstrates the close cooperation between these institutions.

However, if public pressure continues, it is expected that the Ministry of Justice and our Prosecutors will act on the criminal complaints regarding those who are attempting to cover up this disgraceful incident."

THERE IS ALSO REACTION FROM UYGHURS

It was also reported in the media that the foundation administration pressured the families and sought to have them evicted from the foundation-affiliated housing where they were staying. The Uyghur organisation official speaking to 12punto stated that the aim was to get the complaints withdrawn.

"It appears that the foundation administrators are pursuing revenge against the victim families whose children were sexually abused or who spoke out against this vile incident, by evicting them from the homes they are renting. I believe they are trying to force victim families to withdraw their complaints about this incident and the school administration by threatening to evict them from their homes in winter conditions.

In Uyghur WhatsApp groups, it is evident that both the victims and other Uyghurs with a conscience are reacting strongly. I therefore believe this pressure will backfire. We also know that it is not easy to arbitrarily evict people from homes for which they are paying rent. The victims' lawyers will undoubtedly take — and have taken — the necessary legal steps regarding this matter."

"THE SO-CALLED STUDY CENTRE SHOULD BE SEIZED"

In its response to a parliamentary question submitted by Member of Parliament Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu, the Ministry of National Education stated that there is no registered study centre or girls' dormitory belonging to the said foundation, and that the foundation's boys' dormitory was also closed in 2020. Yet this school and dormitory continue to operate. We asked the Uyghur organisation official how this is possible at this education centre. The Uyghur organisation official, who warned that the content of the religious lessons given at this centre is dangerous, said the following:

"This is a manifestation of the 'ownership' mentality towards radical Islamic communities in Turkey. Just as criminal complaints against the foundation administrators at the prosecutor's office are being held up for some reason, the so-called study centre and student dormitory — which lack approval and licences — are being allowed to continue their religious outreach activities. The perspective of 'unlicensed religious courses' operating in this manner in our country applies here as well. However, I believe that the content of the religious and moral lessons given at this centre — where the sexual abuse of young girls aged between 4 and 12 took place — is dangerous, and that our State should take ownership of the children there by enrolling them in Qur'an courses affiliated with the Diyanet, or that this so-called study centre, which is operating illegally, should be seized and teachers appointed by the Müftülük (Mufti's Office) should be made to give lessons there.

The Ministry of National Education officials and inspectors who, in response to MP Gergerlioğlu's parliamentary question on the matter, stated that the study centre and dormitory operating under the name Oku Uygur Bilig Merkezi affiliated with the relevant foundation are operating without permission or licence from the Ministry of National Education — those officials and inspectors who turned a blind eye to the illegal operation of the so-called school and dormitory are committing an offence, and the Ministry must do what is necessary."

"THEY ARE RAISING CHILDREN AS IF PREPARING FOR WAR"

Despite a prior closure order and despite having no legal standing whatsoever, the foundation's social media accounts and website continue to share content about the education and activities taking place there. We asked the Uyghur organisation official: "Is this institution's curriculum and activities in compliance with the Ministry of National Education's regulations?" The response was as follows:

"First of all, the Regional Directorate of Foundations should open — and should have opened — an investigation into the Uygur İlim ve Marifet Vakfı you are referring to and temporarily suspended the foundation's activities.

Secondly, since it has become clear that the school and dormitory affiliated with the foundation, called 'Oku Uygur Bilig Yurdu,' are also operating without a licence, the Ministry of National Education should — and should have — padlocked this study centre and transferred the dormitory to the management of the Credit and Dormitories Institution (Kredi Yurtlar Kurumu).

The fact that education and activities are being shared on the foundation's social media accounts without obtaining a licence from the Ministry or the Mufti's Office stems from the perception that religious communities and religious activities will not be touched.

I do not know in detail what the institution's curriculum is. However, since no approval or licence has been obtained from the Ministry of National Education, I am of the opinion that lessons with different content are being given in Uyghur. When we look at the activities of the foundation and the so-called study centre that have come to our attention, it is likewise evident that the work being carried out does not comply with educational and disciplinary rules. The occasional raising of the Göktürk flag alongside the Turkish flag in the so-called school courtyard, having school students wear military uniforms and carry toy weapons while conducting military marches, and raising children as if preparing for war against a country with which our country has a strategic partnership — these are not only non-compliant with Ministry of National Education regulations, but are also a 'crime'…"

WHAT HAPPENED?

The defendant denied the allegations and blamed the children

The defendant, who stated that he lived on the foundation's site and worked there as a plumber at the site and at the education centre they call a madrasa, claimed he had been falsely accused and denied the charges against him.

Kader, who was caught while attempting to flee abroad, argued that the children who were victims of the abuse were his neighbours, that they frequently came to his home to watch television, and that even when he was not at home they would use the key he left at the door to let themselves in. Kader claimed that on one occasion a child came to his home without his knowledge, and that when he came out of the shower he found the child had seen him naked. Kader, who was alleged to have shown the children pornographic content, denied the allegation, claiming that the children themselves had turned on a foreign satellite channel and opened the pornographic content to watch it, and that he had scolded them when he saw it.

"FOUNDATION ADMINISTRATORS SAID 'LET'S SETTLE THIS AMONG OURSELVES'"

Following the defendant, Abdülhekim Gazi — the father of the abused children and a party to the case — stated in his testimony as a complainant that they had filed criminal complaints against the foundation administrators, who are well-known figures in the Uyghur community: "When my child told me what had happened, I called the foundation administrators Habibullah Küseni and Abdurrahim Teşna. They told me, 'Don't call the gendarmerie — let's sort this out among ourselves.' They called me to the school that evening. They had helped the defendant escape. I caught the defendant while he was trying to flee to Europe and handed him over to the gendarmerie. We were threatened by the foundation administrators. They pressured me to leave the site where I was staying because I had informed the gendarmerie. It is the directors who protected the defendant. We also filed complaints against the directors. We submitted a criminal complaint." he said.

News Source: Ercan Küçük