Muslims in Istanbul, Turkiye, performed funeral prayer following Friday prayer for Abdul Karim Abdul-Wali (Kerim Qari), one of the prominent scholars of East Turkestan martyred in the Chinese prison.

The family of 28-year-prisoner Abdul Karim Abdul-Wali was informed a few days ago that Abdul Karim Abdul-Wali was martyred a year ago by the Communist China regime.

The funeral was attended by the president of East Turkestan Maarif Association Hidayet Oguzhan, vice president of East Turkestan Scholars Union Siracettin Azizi, HUDA PAR Istanbul Provincial Chairman Erdal Elibüyük and many lovers of the martyred scholar.

Speaking before the funeral prayer, vice president of East Turkestan Scholars Union Siracettin Azizi stated that the life of Kerim Qari was different from other scholars in East Turkestan.

"Kerim Qari sacrificed his entire life for the religion of Allah to save the people's faith. Kerim Qari was kept in prison for nearly 30 years from 1990 to 2017," he said.

"We are suffering from losing our scholars"

The head of the East Turkestan Maarif Association, Hidayet Oguzhan, stated in his speech: "East Turkestan has lost a great scholar today. The Uighurs have a proverb that says, 'The death of a scholar is the death of the world.' Relatives of people, who emigrated here or different countries are being martyred each day. We only settle for consolation and prayer."

We are suffering from losing scholars who constitute the backbone of East Turkistan. This year, four our great scholars were martyred," he said.

"We perform the funeral prayer of the Islamic world today"

Oğuzhan reminded that meetings will be held on behalf of human rights all over the world on these days, said: "As you all know, these days, the whole world is going to celebrate human rights day."

Stating that the East Turkestan has been groaning under Chinese occupation for 70 years, Oğuzhan continued: "In Eastern Turkistan, people are assimilated, subjected to genocide, they have martyred thousands of us so far. 40 million people in East Turkestan are about to be destroyed under the persecution while the world celebrates human rights."

Oğuzhan stated that they are performing the funeral prayer of the Islamic world today, "Because their souls, their conscience are dead, they cannot protect each other. A population of 40 million is now in danger of extinction, crying to the Ummah."

"Nearly 5 million Muslim communities groan in China's Nazi concentration camps"

Oghuzhan, who stated that millions of people were martyred during the 70 years of occupation, continued as the following:

"The human rights violations, massacres, genocide, assimilation, restrictions, and oppression that we want to present in society are nothing in the face of the inhumane savage policy we are living today. Nearly 5 million Muslim communities are moaning in China's Nazi concentration camps."

"According to reports, nine of our sisters were martyred in a ward in three months period. In this way, we know that millions of our brothers and sisters are being held captive in camps in Eastern Turkistan, and we estimate that hundreds of thousands of people are martyred. The Islamic world has not even made a warning to China on this issue."

"Those who make small accounts, unfortunately, remain silent in the persecution in Eastern Turkistan"

"Hazrat Ali says, 'If you can't stop the persecution, then let everyone know,'" said HUDA PAR Istanbul Provincial Chairman Erdal Elibüyük at the beginning of his speech.

"Today, especially our country, those who act conjecturally, who hide behind a number of modern concepts, who make small accounts, unfortunately, remain silent in the persecution in East Turkestan," said Elibüyük.

Calling on the press, Elibüyük remarked that, "Unfortunately, the press and the media are playing the blind and the deaf again today. For many years, we have not seen a small article or documentary on television about the persecution in Eastern Turkistan, nor on the news." (Nizamettin Aşkın - ILKHA)