Uygurs in China: “State Secrets” Print E-mail
Alimujiang Yimiti is a Christian from Xinjiang, China. Yimiti and his family are Uygurs (WEE-gurz). Uygurs are a group of people who live mainly in northwest China.

Most Uygurs are Muslims. Yimiti decided to follow Jesus several years ago. His wife is also a Christian. They teach their two sons, who are 9 and 3, all about Jesus.

Yimiti also told other Uygurs about Jesus. But government rules do not allow, “preaching Christianity among people of Uygur ethnicity.” So government officials took away Yimiti’s job.

Secrets
In 2008, police arrested Yimiti and put him in jail. Officials said Yimiti was in jail because he told government secrets to someone from another country.

Yimiti does not know what government secret he is accused of telling. His lawyer said, “The court even refused to tell Alimujiang what the state secret is. If he told the secret, then it is not a secret to him anymore, so why would they not tell him?”

Christians in China believe that Yimiti was really arrested for his faith in God and for sharing his faith with others, not telling state secrets.

Trial
After he had been jailed for more than year, police cars brought Yimiti to a court for a trial. His wife, mother, and two sons waited at the gate of the courthouse. They hoped to see him. When the car was close enough to them, Yimiti raised his handcuffed hands to wave at them. It was the first time Yimiti’s family had seen him since his arrest, 18 months before.

Yimiti’s wife told friends that she was disappointed with how things went at the trial. However, she said she has peace in her heart because she depends on Jesus. But friends say that Yimiti’s oldest son is sad, scared, and angry. Please pray that he and his little brother will know God’s peace, too.

After the trial, the court sentenced Yimiti to 15 years in prison for telling government secrets. He hopes his lawyer can get the sentence changed. On April 20, 2010, Yimiti was allowed to visit with his wife and family for the first time in more than two years. But they only had 15 minutes together. During the meeting, he was separated from his family by a glass screen. Yimiti told them, “Be strong, take heart, this is God’s training for me.”


Yimiti and his family are grateful for all the Christians around the world who are praying for them. Visit www.prisoneralert.com to read more updates about Yimiti and to write letters of encouragement to him and other Christian prisoners.

Sources include: ChinaAid

Alimujiang Yimiti’s wife wants Christians around the world to pray for her husband. She hopes the court will reduce his 15-year prison sentence. Watch a video of Alimujiang’s wife asking Christians to pray before one of his court hearings.