Qeyum Muhammad, known as the ‘grandmaster of performers,’ disappeared from public life three years ago.
A revered Uyghur actor and acting teacher has been detained for three years in northwestern China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, RFA confirmed last week through sources in the region.
The case of Qeyum Muhammad, known as the “grandmaster of performers” for teaching younger Uyghur performing artists and comedians, was uncovered by the Uyghuryar Foundation, a Norway-based Uyghur advocacy and aid organization which maintains a list of detained Uyghur intellectuals.
The Uyghuryar Foundation has been tracking the actor since his sudden disappearance from the stage, forums, and venues in 2017. He worked as an associate professor at the Xinjiang Arts Institute in the XUAR’s capital Urumqi (in Chinese, Wulumuqi) and was a mentor to the stars when he vanished from public life.
Through calls to people in the XUAR who know Qeyum, RFA has confirmed that that the actor has been in captivity for three years. read more