Before coming to America from Turkey in January this year, my work consumed me. Some days after working 12 or more hours with hurting people, desperate for help to free their imprisoned loved ones, I would arrive home and find up to a dozen people waiting at my front door. My heart felt torn. I wanted to spend time with my family, but I could not turn these people desperate to talk with me… desperate for help… down, so I typically continued to worked until 10 pm or afterward. At that time, as my wife helped with my work and supported me, I did not think about how this could adversely affect my family.
Now after being away from my family for eight months, I realize how important… just how valuable my wife and children are to me. Although I must continue to work on behalf of my fellow countrymen being held and tortured in China’s concentration camps, I realize I must also spend more time with my family. I realize I need to regularly cook for my wife and play with our sons.
Each day, I talk to my wife, still in Turkey, on the phone and often tell her, “When you and our sons come to America, “I make food for you [sic]…. I will watch and play with our kids. I will even change our youngest son’s diaper.
Serikzhan founded Atajurt, a human rights organization which advocates for the primarily Muslim ethnic minorities living in China’s northwestern Xinjiang region. Atajurt serves as a platform for such individuals and families to post their stories to bring awareness of friends and family members the CCP authorities currently target, round up, and imprison in concentration camps that they maliciously call “re-education” and vocational training centers.
During a recent interview for the Bob Fu Report #6, Bob Fu, PhD., founder of ChinaAid, introduced Serikzhan as “a great champion for freedom. His work includes fighting for religious freedom for the Kazakhs, Uyghurs, and other minority groups.” These individuals suffer from the CCP’s persecution in Xinxiang autonomous region, Dr. Fu said.
Kazakhstan, which shares an extensive border with China, has deep economic ties with China. Previously, trying to maintain good relations with the Chinese government, the Kazakh government has revealed its readiness to sacrifice respect for human rights. In 2019, Kazakh authorities prosecuted Serikzhan on one vague, exorbitant criminal charge of “inciting social discord” and one administrative charge for his work exposing human rights violations in China’s Xinjiang region. They conditionally released him if he completely ceased his Xinjiang activism. In 2020, Kazakh authorities charged Serikzhan with two additional criminal charges and one more administrative charge. At this time, he decided to seek political asylum.
He cannot cease fighting for freedom for his fellow countrymen.
As Serikzhan now lives in the United States, he continues to fight for freedom. He asks for prayer for his fellow countrymen… for himself… for his family.