Sweden Arrests Senior Uyghur Representative on Espionage Charges

Stockholm, Sweden – April 10, 2025

Swedish authorities have arrested an ethnic Uyghur man residing in Stockholm on suspicion of espionage for China, according to information released by the country's prosecutors. The arrest was confirmed on Wednesday by the World Uyghur Congress (WUC), an organization that represents the Uyghur population in China’s Xinjiang region.

The arrested individual has been identified as Dilshat Reshit, who has held the position of Chinese-language spokesperson for the WUC since 2004. Following the arrest, the WUC's leadership convened an emergency meeting and subsequently decided to remove Reshit from his role within the organization.

Details surrounding the arrest indicate that Reshit is suspected of illegally gathering intelligence on fellow Uyghurs in Sweden on behalf of the Chinese intelligence service. Mats Ljungqvist, a Swedish prosecutor, stated that these activities raise significant concerns regarding the security of the Uyghur community within the country.

The recent developments come in the context of warnings issued by Western intelligence agencies regarding cyber espionage campaigns targeting individuals and organizations connected to activities the Chinese state considers a threat to its stability. Industry reports from firms such as Google, Check Point, and Facebook have identified a pattern of digital espionage operations that seem to be linked to Chinese state-sponsored efforts against the Uyghur community.

These events align with ongoing international concerns about the treatment of Uyghurs in China. Under the Biden administration, the U.S. and its allies have implemented sanctions against the Chinese government in response to severe human rights violations involving the Uyghur population. Allegations have been made regarding the detention of millions of Uyghurs in forced labor and reeducation camps, prompting the United Nations’ human rights investigators to classify China's actions as "serious human rights violations" against not only the Uyghurs but also other predominantly Muslim communities. Beijing has consistently denied such accusations.

In its statement regarding the arrest, the WUC highlighted its long-standing commitment to alerting the international community about the Chinese government's efforts to stifle dissent amongst Uyghurs living abroad. The organization underscored that these practices endanger not only the daily lives and security of Uyghur expatriates but also threaten the national security of the countries they reside in.

The WUC has called upon host countries to foster collaboration between their counterintelligence services and Uyghur organizations, urging human rights groups to continue monitoring incidents of transnational repression.

This arrest marks a significant moment in the ongoing struggle of the Uyghur community, reflecting broader geopolitical tensions and the implications of state-sponsored actions on minority groups living in foreign nations. As the investigation progresses, further updates regarding Reshit's situation are anticipated, particularly in light of the WUC's demand for transparency and due process throughout the legal proceedings.