Beijing - based scholar and critic of China 's policies in Xinjiang may have had a secret trial , lawyer says . Ilham ##i , who belongs to the Hui ethnic group , was arrested in January . Chinese state media has reported that Tohti was charged with separatism . `` If harsh measures are being used against him , it really shows the authorities ' line of tolerance has shifted a lot in the past year . '' China has launched a massive anti - terrorism campaign in the western region .
Beijing - based scholar and critic of China 's policies in Xinjiang may have had a secret trial , lawyer says . Ilham ##i , who belongs to the Hui ethnic group , was arrested in January . Chinese state media has reported that Tohti was charged with separatism . China has launched a massive anti - terrorism campaign in the western region .