Global InformationAblajan Awut Ayup information
Ablajan Awut Ayup ئابلاجان ئاۋۇت ئايۇپ | |
|---|---|
| Born | 11 November 1984 Sanju,[1] Xinjiang, China |
| Disappeared | February 15, 2018 (aged 33)
[2] Ürümqi, Xinjiang, China |
| Status | Missing for 6 years, 3 months and 27 days |
| Nationality | Uyghur |
| Alma mater | Xinjiang Institute of Art (Graduated in 2006) |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, dancer |
| Years active | 2009-2018 (disappeared) |
Ablajan Awut Ayup (Uyghur: ئابلاجان ئاۋۇت ئايۇپ, Chinese: 阿卜拉江·阿吾提; born 11 November 1984) is a singer, songwriter and dancer who wrote over 400 songs and was known for promoting Uyghur culture and identity as well as singing bilingual songs, in both Chinese and Uyghur.[3] In 2017, BBC portrayed him as a model of integration for his appeal to both Han and Uyghur audiences.[4][5]
Ablajan made his debut with his song "Meshrep Nawasi" in January 2010 in the "Meshrep Concert". "Meshrep Nawasi" was republished in the English and Chinese languages. Later, "Meshrep Nawasi" became one of Ablajan's iconic songs. He published his first album "Bashlamduq (Shall We Start?)" on July 10, 2011. His first album sold over 100,000 copies, no small achievement in a limited market. Local businesses vied to endorse Ablajan and his face graced billboards in Xinjiang's capital, Ürümqi.[6] Ablajan signed a contract with Marrybrown Sdn Bhd in 2016 and became a brand ambassador in China for the Malaysian fast food chain.
In 2018, Radio Free Asia reported that Ayup had been detained by police in Guma (Pishan) County.[7] His brother reported that Ayup had been sent to one of the Xinjiang re-education camps.[8]
- ^ Shohret Hoshur; Joshua Lipes (18 May 2018). "Popular Uyghur Singer's Whereabouts Unknown, Believed Detained in Xinjiang Re-Education Camp". Radio Free Asia. Translated by Mamatjan Juma. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
Ayup was born in Sanju township in 1984 and relocated to Turpan at the age of 15 to study art.
- ^ "Popular Uyghur Singer's Whereabouts Unknown, Believed Detained in Xinjiang Re-Education Camp". www.rfa.org. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
- ^ Byler, Darren (July 14, 2017). "Ablajan and the Subtle Politics of Uyghur Pop". Art and Life of Central Asia.
- ^ Goddard, Matthew (17 Mar 2017). "The Uighur pop singer trying to build bridges". BBC News.
- ^ Wadsworth-Jones, Emma (21 June 2018). "China: Uyghur pop musician and lyric writer detained, concerns for his well-being".
- ^ Rauhala, Emily (Oct 24, 2014). "It's a Long Way to the Top (if You Wanna Be a Uighur Pop Star)".
- ^ Lipes, Joshua (2018-05-18). "Popular Uyghur Singer's Whereabouts Unknown, Believed Detained in Xinjiang Re-Education Camp".
- ^ Emily Feng (13 March 2018). "Security spending ramped up in China's restive Xinjiang region". Financial Times. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
Even those who enjoy local celebrity status are not immune. Ablajan, a Uighur rapper, was recently detained and sent to a re-education camp, according to his brother.