A South Korean university yesterday said that a Uighur student who reportedly went missing in Hong Kong after being interrogated did not travel to the territory recently, adding fresh questions to the mystery of his whereabouts.
Amnesty International on Friday said that Abuduwaili Abudureheman, who was born in Xinjiang in western China, had traveled to Hong Kong from South Korea to visit a friend on May 10, but has not been heard from since he texted his friend about being questioned at the territory’s airport.
However, Kookmin University in Seoul, where the student is pursuing a doctorate in sports studies, told reporters that he is still in South Korea.
The student has been frequently contacting his professor over his doctoral preparations, the university’s public affairs office said.
Amnesty International said that it was trying to independently confirm the student’s whereabouts and safety, adding that it would be able to provide a further response when it has more information.
The Associated Press has not been able to directly contact the student and the university refused to provide his contact details, citing privacy concerns.
The professor communicated with him and confirmed his presence in South Korea, the university said.
The alleged disappearance of Abuduwaili Abudureheman, who has been studying in Seoul for seven years, sparked widespread concerns on social media since Amnesty International first reported his case, saying that the student appeared to have been detained and interrogated.
A day later, the Hong Kong government said that the student had not entered the territory, nor was he refused entry.
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