Sanubar Tursun

Uyghur singer-songwriter (b. 1971)
Sanubar Tursun
سەنۇبەر تۇرسۇن
Born (1971-06-01) 1 June 1971 (age 52)
Ghulja, Xinjiang, China
Disappeared1 November 2018
Ürümqi, Xinjiang, China
StatusAlleged 5 years imprisonment
NationalityChinese
Alma materXinjiang Arts Institute
Occupation(s)Artist, classical song singer
Years active2000-present

Sanubar Tursun (Uyghur: سەنۇبەر تۇرسۇن; Chinese: 塞努拜尔·吐尔逊; pinyin: Sāinǔbài'ěr Tǔ'ěrxùn; b. 1971) is a Uyghur female singer-songwriter, famous dutar player and researcher for Uyghur Muqams. Tursun released her first album in 2000. She was a judge in the Uyghur language The Voice of the Silk Road. She was allegedly sentenced to 5 years in prison.[1]

Early life

Sanubar was born in Ghulja, to musician Tursun Chang. Her father taught her to play stringed instruments including dutar and satar. She trained and worked professionally as a chang (hammer dulcimer) player.[2][3]

In May 2014, she gave a performance at University of London.[4]

On 7 August 2016, she appeared in Los Angeles.[5]

Disappearance

Her scheduled performances in the French cities of Nantes, Angers and Rennes were cancelled in November 2018 after she encountered difficulties leaving China. [6] Reports claimed that she was detained by the Chinese authorities in November 2018 and sentenced to 5 years in prison. Her concert in Shanghai in November 2019 was cancelled.[7] later in 2019 she was released, likely due to pressure from international community.

See also

  • Adil Mijit
  • Rahile Dawut
  • Abdurehim Heyt

References

  1. ^ "Mass arrests in Xinjiang continue". www.osu.edu. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  2. ^ "About Sanubar Tursun". www.akdn.org. Retrieved 4 January 2010.
  3. ^ "SOAS to welcome one of the finest singers in Central Asia, Sanubar Tursun". www.soas.ac.uk. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
  4. ^ "Sanubar Tursun Concert Tour in Europe". www.uyghurensemble.co.uk. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
  5. ^ "Sanubar Tursun's voice in Los Angeles Sky". www.www.rfa.org. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  6. ^ "concerts canceled".
  7. ^ "Uighur musician listed for China show year after disappearance". Agence France-Presse. 28 October 2019.