UN Experts Urge Morocco to Halt Extradition of Uyghur Asylum Seeker to China

"We are deeply concerned by the decision handed down today (Wednesday, December 15) by the Moroccan Court of Cassation authorizing the extradition of Mr. Aishan to China, despite the risk of serious human rights violations, both for his belonging to an ethnic and religious minority and for his alleged affiliation with a terrorist organization," the experts said in a statement.

Also known as Idris Hasan, Yidiresi Aishan was arrested last July at Mohammed V Airport in Casablanca and then incarcerated in the Tiflet prison because he "was the subject of a red notice issued by Interpol, due to his suspected membership in an organization listed as a terrorist organization." Under Article 120 of the Chinese Criminal Code, the Chinese authorities accuse the Uyghur activist of having joined the East Turkestan Islamic Movement terrorist group and of having carried out or actively participated in alleged terrorist activities.

According to UN experts, Idris is at great risk of being tortured upon his return to China. Whenever there are "substantial grounds" for the probability of torture in the country of destination, no State has the right to expel, return or otherwise remove an individual from its territory, they argue. This, they say, is a consistent set of gross or massive violations of human rights. "This extradition process is taking place without any form of individual examination and risk assessment, which blatantly violates the absolute prohibition of extradition under international human rights and refugee law," they add.

These independent experts also believe that as an asylum seeker in Morocco, Yidiresi Aishan should be protected against extradition or forced return to China, until his refugee status is decided. Deeply concerned about the situation of the Uyghur national, they intend to continue dialoguing with the authorities to ensure full respect for the absolute prohibition of extradition under international human rights and refugee law.