A court in China will hear the case of Kazakh writer and satirist Zhenis Yryskanuly behind closed doors. According to his son, the writer has been charged with "undermining ethnic unity", but the family has not seen the indictment or other court documents.
WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE DETENTION
As reported by "Azattyq Asia", 57-year-old Zhenis Yryskanuly was detained by Chinese police on 19 March 2026 in the Barkol Kazakh Autonomous County of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. After that, relatives were not officially informed of his whereabouts or the grounds for his detention.
According to the writer's son — Nartai Zhenis, from December 2025 the writer was repeatedly called in for checks and interrogations. Sometimes he was absent from home for several days, and in some cases — for almost a week. After his detention in March, contact with him ceased.
The family believes the writer may be held in a prison in Hami City, but there is no official confirmation of this information. Requests from relatives to Chinese authorities, as well as appeals made through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Kazakhstan, have gone unanswered, according to his son.
WHAT CHARGE HAS BEEN BROUGHT AGAINST THE WRITER
According to Nartai Zhenis, relatives were initially told orally that the writer was suspected of holding "extremist views". Later, the family learned of the charge of "undermining ethnic unity". However, relatives have not seen any documents confirming the legal basis for the charge.
The writer's son also said the trial would be held behind closed doors. According to him, the lawyer stated that relatives would not be permitted to attend the hearing. The family was told that if Yryskanuly is found guilty, he could face up to 10 years in prison.
IS THE CASE LINKED TO THE NEW LAW
The charge came after the 1 July 2026 entry into force of China's law "On Promoting Ethnic Unity". The law, adopted by the National People's Congress in March, establishes legal norms in the sphere of inter-ethnic relations, including provisions on actions that the authorities may regard as undermining ethnic unity.
At the same time, the case files do not specify whether this law is being applied directly to Yryskanuly. Therefore, it cannot yet be claimed that his charge is specifically based on the new legislation.
Chinese authorities have not commented on the legal basis for the charges against the writer. Beijing has previously stated that the law is aimed at strengthening the rule of law and protecting the rights of 56 officially recognised ethnic groups.
HOW THE FAMILY HAS RESPONDED
Nartai Zhenis, who lives in the Almaty Region and is a citizen of Kazakhstan, has appealed to the country's authorities to determine his father's fate and assist in his release. According to him, Kazakhstan's MFA said that his father is a Chinese citizen, and therefore the case falls under Beijing's jurisdiction.
The family is demanding that Chinese authorities release Yryskanuly, allow him to move to Kazakhstan and be reunited with his relatives.
WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE WRITER
Zhenis Yryskanuly is a writer and satirist from Xinjiang, author of 13 books. According to his son, he wrote children's literature and satirical works. 11 books were published by state publishing houses, and some of his works were translated into Chinese and also officially published.
Yryskanuly was a member of the Chinese Writers' Association and the Xinjiang Writers' Association, and previously headed the Hami Prefecture Writers' Association. His son also claims that since 2012 his father has been unable to travel abroad or leave the boundaries of Hami Prefecture.
