On September 18, 2024, at 4:00 AM, Turkish police raided a home in the Kanaria neighborhood of Istanbul’s Safa Koy district, detaining two Uyghur women: Rizwangul Abdulaziz and Munavvar Zebbullah.

Rizwangul, a 27-year-old first-degree disabled woman, cannot move the lower half of her body. She is also the mother of a 6-year-old son who suffers from epilepsy. Munavvar Zebbullah, living with her, has two children, including a 5-year-old disabled son and a 9-year-old daughter.

Both women, without family support, were discovered detained only two days after the incident. They are currently held at the Catalca deportation center for foreigners, with no legal representation or assistance. Their expenses were previously covered by Turkish and Uyghur organizations.

Appeal:

We call on the Turkish government to release the two detained disabled Uyghur women, allowing them to care for their disabled children. Their release is crucial on humanitarian grounds, and we urge authorities to ensure they have access to legal representation while they care for their families.