For Uyghurs living outside China, the Uyghur Diaspora faced distance from Xinjiang as a form of protection. That sense of safety has been shaken by the deaths of two Uyghur men in different countries. In July 2024, Ablehet Qahar, a Uyghur historian and professor was found dead inside his apartment in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. One year later, on July 29, 2026, Shukur Aikebaer, Uyghur businessman, was kidnapped outside his home in Chino Hills, California. Additionally, authorities reported he was later killed.
The two incidents happened in different countries and under different circumstances. There is no publicly confirmed evidence that the cases were ordered or carried out by the Chinese government. However, their victims’ Uyghur identity has caused concern among activists and researchers who have long warned that China’s pressure on Uyghurs may continue even after they leave the country.
The death of Ablehet Qahar
Ablehet Qahar was known as a Uyghur historian and professor who lived in Tashkent. In July 2024, he was found dead in his apartment. Uzbek authorities confirmed that the 73-year-old man had suffered several cut wounds and opened a criminal investigation into suspected murder. A suspect was reportedly detained, while the motive remained under investigation.
Qahar’s death attracted limited international attention at the time. But later reports raised deeper questions about what happened after the killing. The Diplomat reported that Qahar’s residence was barricaded and that his collection of Uyghur historical materials disappeared. The report described the case as having been “quietly swept under the rug.”
That detail is important because Qahar was not only an individual victim. His collection may have contained documents, books and materials connected to Uyghur history and culture. The reported disappearance of those materials created fears that an important part of the community’s cultural memory may have been lost.
For Uyghurs, history is closely connected to identity. Scholars and cultural figures who preserve language, traditions and historical records often play an important role in resisting cultural erasure. Qahar’s death therefore raised concerns beyond the question of an individual murder.
The killing of Shukur Aikebaer
On the night of July 29, 2026, residents in Chino Hills, a community in Southern California, reportedly heard gunshots and screams near Aikebaer’s home. According to American media reports, the electricity supply to his house had been deliberately cut. When Aikebaer went outside to inspect the electrical panel, investigators alleged that two men attacked him and forced him into the trunk of a vehicle.
The suspects were identified as brothers Zhengfeng Bo and Jianquan Bo Police said the vehicle was later stopped after a short pursuit. Zhengfeng Bo allegedly opened the trunk and shot Aikebaer before deputies shot and killed him. Aikebaer also died at the scene. Jianquan Bo was arrested and charged with murder and kidnapping. He has pleaded not guilty.
Aikebaer was a businessman, husband and father of three daughters. Reports have suggested that he had a previous working relationship with Zhengfeng Bo and that the case may have involved a business dispute. The investigation is continuing and authorities have not publicly linked the killing to China or to political activity.
Why the two cases matter
The deaths of Qahar and Aikebaer cannot automatically be treated as part of one organized operation. However, the available evidence does not prove that they were connected. Yet the cases have become significant because they occurred against a background of reported transnational repression against the Uyghur Diaspora.
The BBC reported that China has pressured Uyghurs abroad to spy on human-rights campaigners by threatening relatives in China. The report described family members as “hostages” used to silence Uyghur voices overseas. Amnesty International has also documented allegations of intimidation through Chinese diplomatic offices, phone calls and online messages.
These reports explain why Uyghur communities are worried when prominent or vulnerable members die abroad. They fear not only direct violence, but also surveillance, threats, forced silence and the destruction of cultural evidence.
The demand for careful investigation
The cases in Tashkent and California require independent, transparent investigations. Authorities must establish the facts, identify the motives and protect any witnesses. At the same time, public discussion must separate verified evidence from suspicion. For Uyghurs, however, the message is already deeply troubling.
A historian in Uzbekistan and a businessman in California both lost their lives far from Xinjiang. Their deaths show why safety, justice and freedom of expression for Uyghurs must be protected not only inside China. They must be protected wherever Uyghur Diaspora communities live.