[Mihrigul Tursun:] I was abused, persecuted,
and tortured in my own homeland.
[TEXT: Since at least 2017, China has detained 800,000 to
possibly two million Uighurs, ethnic Kazakhs, and members
of other Muslim minority groups in internment camps in its Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region.]
In 2015, I gave birth to triplets - two boys and a girl -
when I was living in Egypt.
It was extremely difficult for me to take care of the
three babies, because I was very young at the time.
[TEXT: Mihrigul Tursun, Uighur Jailed in China]
I had no relatives other than my
husband, who was busy working.
I thought that since my parents were retired,
they could help me raise the babies.
So I returned home to China to get help from my parents.
[TEXT: On May 13, 2015, Mihrigul and her three children landed
at the Urumqi Airport in the capital of China’s Xinjiang Uighur
Autonomous Region. Her children were two months old.]
At passport control they asked me to go with them
to a different room where they questioned me.
They told me my kids would be watched by other police officers.
They handcuffed me and put a hood over my head.
From there I was taken directly to Heijiashan Prison.
[TEXT: Chinese authorities detained Mihrigul for two
months. This would be the first of three times they
detained her over the next two and a half years.]
When I was released, I went directly to the hospital,
but one of my sons died the next day.
I demanded to see my son at the hospital, but they wouldn’t let me.
I was only allowed to look from afar.
I didn’t know if he was breathing or not.
[TEXT: Chinese authortities repeatedly
tortured Mihrigul while in custody.]
They put a metallic device with wires on your head,
and you think they’re going to kill you.
When it’s turned on, your head vibrates.
When you’re tortured by being shocked, you think death is better 
because the pain goes all the way through your veins and bones.
[TEXT: On April 28, 2018, Chinese authorities allowed Mihrigul to
return to Egypt to seek medical treatment for her two surviving
children.   Upon arriving in Egypt she learned that authorities in China sentenced her husband to 16 years in prison.]
 [TEXT: In September 2018, Mihrigul was granted a U.S. visa.]
I arrived in the U.S. on September 21, 2018.    
My courage to speak out comes from my faith and hope,
and my aspiration for freedom and liberty
for my oppressed people who are left behind.
[TEXT: For more videos, go to share.america.gov]
[TEXT: Original Video Courtesy of Radio Free Asia
Produced by the U.S. Department of State]
