Radio Free Asia reports that Abduweli Ayup, a Uyghur linguist and educator, has been released from detention in Xinjiang, China following an appeal. Ayup, who holds a masters' degree in linguistics from the University of Kansas and was a Ford Foundation scholarship recipient, was freed along with two associates three months earlier than expected.

Earlier this year, the LSA sent a letter to government officials in China and the U.S., seeking details about Abduweli's alleged crimes and legal intervention on his behalf, consistent with international covenants on human rights. The LSA has also supported an online fundraising campaign to raise a portion of the $13,000 (USD) fine imposed by the Chinese government.

For more information, see the New York Times article on Ayup's release and visit the Facebook Page Justice for Uyghur Linguist Abduweli Ayup.