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Hundreds march in Istanbul to protest against China's treatment of Uighur minority

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Uighurs living in Turkey and their supporters chant slogans as they stage a protest in Istanbul, Saturday, July 4, 2015, against what they call as oppression by Chinese government to Muslim Uighurs in the province. Hundreds of people have marched in Istanbul to protest China over reports of its repression of its minority Muslim Uighur community. Turkey has ethnic and linguistic ties to the Uighurs, members of a Muslim ethnic minority in Xinjiang. Relations between China and Turkey have been strained over Turkish reports that Uighurs were banned from worshipping and fasting during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) (The Associated Press)

Uighurs living in Turkey stage a protest in Istanbul, Saturday, July 4, 2015, against what they call as oppression by Chinese government to Muslim Uighurs in the province. Hundreds of people have marched in Istanbul to protest China over reports of its repression of its minority Muslim Uighur community. Turkey has ethnic and linguistic ties to the Uighurs, members of a Muslim ethnic minority in Xinjiang. Relations between China and Turkey have been strained over Turkish reports that Uighurs were banned from worshipping and fasting during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) (The Associated Press)

Uighurs living in Turkey and their supporters, some carrying coffins representing Uighurs who died in China's far-western Xinjiang Uighur region, chant slogans as they stage a protest in Istanbul, Saturday, July 4, 2015, against what they call as oppression by Chinese government to Muslim Uighurs in the province. Hundreds of people have marched in Istanbul to protest China over reports of its repression of its minority Muslim Uighur community. Turkey has ethnic and linguistic ties to the Uighurs, members of a Muslim ethnic minority in Xinjiang. Relations between China and Turkey have been strained over Turkish reports that Uighurs were banned from worshipping and fasting during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) (The Associated Press)

Hundreds of people have marched in Istanbul to protest against China's treatment of its minority Muslim Uighur community.

The group, which has cultural ties to Turkey, has complained of cultural and religious suppression under Chinese rule.

The protesters on Saturday carried flags representing the Uighurs' homeland and called for a boycott of Chinese goods. The demonstration was peaceful but the Dogan news agency said a group of nationalists tried to attack a group of Korean tourists which they mistook for Chinese nationals. Police rescued the tourists.

Relations between China and Turkey have been strained over Turkish reports that Uighurs were banned from worshipping and fasting during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. China expressed displeasure after Turkey this week took in 173 Uighur refugees from Thailand.