He was detained in August 2025. Human rights groups say more than one million Uighur Muslims and other minorities are forcibly detained in Xinjiang without due process.
The Uighur Muslims in China have been fighting for their survival for a long time. Since 2014, the Chinese government has banned Uyghur Muslims holding government jobs from praying in public and from growing beards.
Guan took video footage of detention centers in the Xinjiang region and left China to publish it. He released the videos a few days before arriving in the US.
He released most of the videos on YouTube, after which Chinese police questioned his father three times and sought information about him.
Guan arrived in Florida illegally by boat in 2021 via Hong Kong, Ecuador and the Bahamas. He told the court he knew it would not be safe to release the footage while in China.
During Wednesday’s hearing, the judge asked if he had filmed asylum-seeking detention centers and released the videos before arriving in the US.
Guan attended the hearing via video link from a US detention center. He replied that he sympathized with the persecuted Uyghurs.
After arriving in the US, Guan applied for asylum. He stayed in the United States between 2021 and 2025 by obtaining a work permit. He settled in New York state, where he worked two jobs and led a normal life.
He was detained in August as part of the Trump administration’s massive deportation drive. Initially, the US Department of Homeland Security was looking to send him to Uganda, but in December, a separate case put the plan on hold.
Judge Charles Auslander in Napannoch, New York, called Guan a credible witness at the hearing and said he had proven his legal eligibility for asylum. Guan’s lawyer, Chen Chuangchuang, said the case is an asylum case and the US has a moral and legal obligation to protect such individuals.
However, Guan was not released immediately after the verdict. The Department of Homeland Security has 30 days to appeal.
According to a BBC report, several police files were discovered in 2022. These included details of the use of the camps. He described the routine routine of the armed officers.
They were also authorized to shoot anyone who tried to escape. Those fleeing the camps have reported physical, psychological and sexual violence. The women have also alleged gang rape.
The Uighurs are a Turkic ethnic group that lives primarily in Xinjiang. Xinjiang borders eight countries, including Mongolia and Russia. The region’s Muslim Uighurs have long had a contentious relationship with Beijing.
Uighur Muslims living in Xinjiang province do not consider themselves Chinese. They speak the Turkish language and consider themselves to be of Turkish origin. The area has seen several violent clashes between Uyghurs and Chinese security forces. Thousands of Uyghurs have fled and sought refuge in other countries due to the harsh policies of the communist government.
Several reports state that Uyghurs holding government jobs may face punishment and even lose their jobs for not praying or fasting five times a day during Ramadan.
Uighur women are also prohibited from wearing the burqa. The Chinese government banned beards in 2008. Uyghur women cannot go to petrol stations, banks or hospitals wearing a veil. They cannot even hold government jobs.
China has been seriously accused of crimes against humanity and genocide against Uyghur Muslims and other minorities. These allegations have intensified since 2014, especially after 2017 when large-scale detention camps were established.
These allegations have been highlighted in reports by human rights organizations, the United Nations (UN) and several countries. According to reports, the allegations are based on evidence, but the Chinese government flatly denies them and claims that the measures are aimed at preventing terrorism.
Uyghur Muslims and minorities in China have been demanding their rights for a long time.
What are the main charges?
- Mass detention: Since 2017, more than one million Uyghurs and other Muslims have been detained in camps without due process. These camps have now decreased, but many remain in prisons or forced labor.
- Torture and abuse: Reports describe torture, sexual violence, forced political mobilization and separation from families.
- Forced labor: Uighurs are forced to work in factories and other facilities under the guise of poverty alleviation programs. In January 2026, UN experts said the practice was widespread throughout China and a crime against humanity.
- Birth Control and Forced Sterilization: Uyghur women were subjected to forced abortions, sterilizations and birth control policies, which led to a significant decline in the Uyghur population.
- Cultural Eradication: Demolishing mosques, banning Islamic practices, and suppressing Uyghur language and culture.
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