How Ramadan Went for Uyghur Muslims This Year

Ramadan is a time of prayer, fasting, and spiritual reflection for nearly two billion Muslims around the world. Families gather for iftar, mosques fill with worshippers, and communities celebrate faith and charity.

For Uyghur Muslims in East Turkistan (also known as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region), however, Ramadan has long been marked by surveillance, restrictions, and fear. Under the Chinese Communist Party’s policies targeting religious expression, the Uyghur Muslims are unable to observe the holy month freely.

Historically, local authorities have prohibited government employees, teachers, and students from fasting, while restaurants were often required to remain open during daylight hours. Mosques were closely monitored during the holy month, and local officials often organized campaigns encouraging people to avoid religious activities to mark the month of Ramadan.

Since 2017, however, these restrictions have intensified dramatically. As part of its so-called “Strike Hard” campaign, the Chinese Communist Party expanded its control over religious life and effectively criminalized every expression of faith. Under this system, ordinary acts of piety such as fasting during Ramadan, attending a mosque, growing a beard, wearing religious attire, or possessing religious materials were interpreted as signs of “extremism.” As a result, hundreds of thousands of Uyghurs were sent to concentration camps, detention centers, prisons, or subjected to other forms of punishment for displaying even the most basic aspects of their religious identity. The repression during the month of Ramadan went as far as asking Uyghurs to send video proof that “they are not fasting during Ramadan”, according to a news report from RFA Uyghur in March/Ramadan 2025.

Ramadan 2026: Continued Restrictions

Recent posts circulating on Chinese social media also suggest that restrictions on Ramadan observance continue this year. Images and videos shared online show groups of Uyghurs gathered in community or government centers during daylight hours of Ramadan, where they appear to eat together publicly. Such scenes contrast sharply with the traditional practice of fasting observed by Uyghur Muslims during the holy month. While these posts are often presented as community activities, they reinforce long-standing concerns that authorities continue to discourage or prevent Uyghurs from freely observing Ramadan and practicing their religious traditions.

China’s Ramadan Diplomacy Abroad vs. Religious Restrictions at Home

While heavily restricting religious life at home and preventing Uyghur Muslims from freely observing Ramadan, China simultaneously seeks to cultivate a positive image in the Muslim world through public diplomacy and charitable initiatives. During this year’s Ramadan, for example, Chinese companies in Egypt organized a charity campaign with a local organization to distribute food supplies to families in need across Egypt.

Chinese officials often present such initiatives as gestures of friendship and solidarity with Muslim communities. However, these propaganda campaigns serve as an effort to mislead Muslim audiences about the reality of China’s repression of Uyghur Muslims and to deflect international criticism, especially from Muslims, of its policies in East Turkistan, while Beijing continues to impose strict controls on religious practices of the Uyghurs.

A Question for the Muslim World

Ramadan is meant to symbolize spiritual freedom and devotion, yet for Uyghur Muslims it continues to highlight the severe restrictions placed on their religious life. Despite Beijing’s attempts to project an image of respect toward Muslim communities abroad, the ongoing repression in East Turkistan reveals a starkly different reality. The international community, particularly the Muslim world, cannot overlook the contradiction between China’s propaganda campaigns and the continued denial of basic religious freedoms to millions of Uyghurs.