Ilham Tohti 2015 X 20"x24" A Muslim Uighur scholar and academic, Ilham Tohti was found guilty of "separatism" and sentenced to life in prison in 2014. A moderate advocate for China's ethnic Uyghur minority population, he founded a website devoted to social issues called, Uyghur Online, which published articles in both Chinese and Uyghur. Authorities interpreted these articles as being critical of the Han government. Tohti was awarded the Pen/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award, an American human rights award given to writers anywhere in the world who fight for freedom of expression.