Residents in China's Xinjiang region are being threatened with detention for downloading, listening to, or sharing Uyghur-language songs that authorities have labelled as sensitive, an exclusive investigation has revealed.
Seven Categories of 'Problematic' Music
According to a recording of an official meeting held in the historic city of Kashgar in October, authorities warned locals against engaging with seven categories of banned songs. The recording was provided exclusively to The Associated Press by the Norway-based non-profit Uyghur Hjelp.
The list ranges from traditional folk ballads, like the popular love song "Besh pede," to newer tunes originating from the Uyghur diaspora. Officials stated that anyone found storing these songs on devices or sharing them on social media could face prison sentences.
During the same meeting, attendees were instructed to avoid common Muslim greetings like "As-salamu alaykum" and to replace the farewell "Allahqa amanet" (May God keep you safe) with "May the Communist Party protect you."
A Sustained Campaign of Cultural Repression
This renewed focus on cultural expression indicates a continuation of repressive policies in Xinjiang, which Beijing tightly controls despite its designation as an autonomous region. The policies have drawn severe international criticism, with the United Nations in 2022 accusing China of human rights violations that may amount to crimes against humanity.
While China claims its actions have rooted out terrorism and brought stability, experts see the music ban as part of a long-term strategy for control. Rian Thum, a senior lecturer at the University of Manchester, stated that although overt signs of repression like internment camps have been scaled back, subtler forms of control persist.
"I’m not at all surprised to hear these accounts of people either being threatened with detention or being detained or imprisoned for listening to the wrong music," Thum said. "It’s the kind of thing that hasn’t stopped."
Artists Imprisoned, Songs Criminalised
A common thread among the prohibited music is its connection to imprisoned Uyghur artists. Elise Anderson of the New Lines Institute noted that association with these detained individuals renders songs "dangerous" and "sensitive" in the eyes of authorities.
One stark example is the case of Yashar Xiaohelaiti, a 27-year-old Uyghur music producer. In 2023, he was sentenced to three years in prison and fined 3,000 yuan (£420) for uploading 42 "problematic" songs to his NetEase Cloud Music account and downloading eight banned e-books.
Interviews with former Xinjiang residents corroborate the policy's severe enforcement. One former official described a family friend sentenced to over a decade in prison for playing traditional instruments and singing Uyghur songs, with several audience members also jailed.
In a separate incident recounted to AP, two teenagers were detained simply for sharing a Uyghur song with each other on the messaging app WeChat.
The Chinese government, in a statement to AP, defended its actions as a lawful crackdown on the propaganda of violent terrorism and religious extremism. It accused "anti-China forces" of maliciously hyping issues related to Xinjiang.
