Refugees and activists tell the BBC intimidation tactics are tearing apart Uyghur communities overseas.
The tactics employed by governments to police their diasporas abroad are known as transnational repression.
This severing of family ties allows Chinese police to step in and offer tightly managed access - over video calls - as an incentive to comply, with the threat of repercussions for the family if they do not. Dr Tobin thinks Turkish authorities are aware of what's happening and have been slow to respond. "The more dependent a country is on investment from China, the more likely it is to cooperate or to turn a blind eye," he says.
After Julie began campaigning on behalf of Uyghurs, local police began dropping in on her extended family in China, saying they "wanted to be friends". Julie recognises that a white American and a Han Chinese family are afforded a degree of safety that Uyghurs are not. "But we're still talking about police harassment, about threats, about a daily reality that is anything but good," she says.
"We are your citizens, your neighbours and your taxpayers. Our governments should take some responsibility," says Mr Ayup.
Belgique Dernières Nouvelles, Belgique Actualités
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