http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20170622IPR78107/eu-china-human-rights-dialogue-to-be-strengthened-says-droi-chair

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NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR DEMOCRACY

5. April 2017

[...] We are happy to have secured the help of numerous Chinese friends around the world, who also feel that Ilham Tohti’s action was beneficial to all in China, for the Uyghurs, of course, but also for the Chinese in general. Our most efficient support came from Ms Cao Yaxue, who has spared no effort to help, advise and travel all the way to Europe from Washington on numerous occasions. We are also happy to have the trust and support of numerous prominent Chinese intellectuals and dissidents such as Ms Liao Tienchi, President of the Chinese PEN, Liao Yiwu, writer in exile in Berlin, Yang Jianli, who has done much for the inter-ethnic dialogue in China, to quote only a few. Finally we treasure the support of the Dalai Lama himself who has asked for the immediate release of Ilham Tohti.

Within the European Parliament, we are particularly grateful to all the Member of Parliament who have given their support to Ilham Tohti’s candidacy to the Sakharov Prize for the Freedom of Speech during our 2016 campaign in Brussels and Strasbourg. We have established an excellent relationship with many of them, namely Mr Kyuchyuck (Bulgaria), Mr Sogor (Romania), Mr Tokes (Hungary), Ms Lochbichler (Germany), Ms Hautala (Finland), Ms Scott Cato (Great Britain), and many more. More than forty MPs have publicly given their support to Ilham Tohti as a valid candidate for the Sakharov Prize.

 Prof. Marie Holzman, Stellvertretende Vorsitzende der Ilham Tohti Initiative e.V.