Kahar was born on February 10, 1964 in the city of Aksu. Currently, together with his wife, he has three children. Before the formal arrest of his mother, Ms. Rebiya Kadeer, on August 11, 1999, Kahar conducted most of his business in Urumchi. However, after the arrest, Kahar decided to do business in his hometown, Aksu City, because Chinese police began monitoring all of Ms. Kadeer’s children and their business activities in Urumchi. After moving to Aksu, he built a five-story building and used it as a hotel and restaurant. He also bought a piece of land to grow fruit. Today, this land is a beautiful orchard.

Chinese police detained Ms. Kadeer’s three children in Urumchi on May 29, 2006. On the same day, Chinese police in Aksu also detained Kahar for many hours and questioned him about his communications with his mother in the United States. Police subsequently told him that since he had no direct contact with Ms. Kadeer and cooperated with the authorities, he could continue his business activities. However, on June 13, after Chinese police arrested his brothers Alim and Ablikim, and put his sister Rushangul and uncle Mamat under house arrest, police also arrested him and brought him from Aksu to Urumchi handcuffed and chained on a mini-bus.

Rushangul was born in Kucha County on July 18, 1967. She has been a physics teacher at the Urumchi Transportation College since August 1987. She was never involved in her mother’s business activities. Her husband Kaiser is a teacher at Urumchi #5 Middle School. Together, they have three children. Chinese police began to monitor her after her mother, Ms. Kadeer, was arrested by the Chinese government in August 1999.

Chinese police questioned her many times after Ms. Kadeer began campaigning for the human rights of the Uyghur people after her release to the United States in March 2005. During these instances of police interrogation, Rushangul protested by saying that their questioning was illegal. As a result, she has been under house arrest since May 29, 2006 for not cooperating with the authorities. At present, seven Chinese policemen watch her in her house and never allow her to leave.

Ablikim was born in Aksu City on July 18, 1973. He studied computer science at Xinjiang University in Urumchi. He has never involved himself in the family business. He was arrested by the Chinese government one day after his mother was arrested in August 1999, and was accused of translating a material for her from the Uyghur language into English. He was imprisoned for two years. After his release, he was kept under constant police surveillance.

Chinese police detained Ablikim on May 29, 2006 together with his brother Alim. He was formally charged on June 13, and is currently being detained by the Chinese government.

Alim was born in Aksu on February 29, 1976. He studied medicine and healthcare at Xinjiang Medical University and graduated in 1998. He was fired from a hospital in Aksu after his mother was arrested in August 1999. He was not able to continue working in his profession because of the persecution of his mother. Alim became the legal guardian of the Akida Trading Company and the Rebiya Kadeer Department Store in December 1999.

After the entire business became under his control, Chinese police consistently monitored and harassed his business activities. The business was under constant economic pressure and was given penalties by the Fire Department, the Environmental Department, the Land Control Department, the Business Bureau, the Water Company, the Heating Company, the Power Company, and the Municipal Zoning Department. These entities, under the direction of the Chinese government, cut off electricity, shut down water, stopped elevators, and fined the business properties of the Kadeer family for allegedly violating zoning, environmental and other regulations.

The Chinese government also harassed all the businessmen and other individuals who had had business dealings or connections with the family’s company, and prevented them from doing any further business with Alim and the company. As a result, the Akida Trading Company and the Rebiya Kadeer Department Store’s business suffered a tremendous loss and ran a deficit. In addition, the Chinese government froze all the monies of the businesses and did not even allow Alim to pay bank loans on time. In fact, Chinese police were involved in all aspects of Alim’s business activities beginning on August 11, 1999. At present, all the monies and assets of the company are under the direct control of 5th Office of Xinjiang Public Security. This special office is responsible for all of the economic problems of the company, including its debts and loan problems.