Ilham Khan , a prominent Uyghur scholar , was charged with ` ` separatism '' Detained by police in January , he was taken to his native province of Xinjiang . Police said they gathered firm evidence of him colluding with overseas forces to ` ` spread separatist propaganda '' Khan 's lawyers have said that the scholar failed to emphasize his innocence .
Ilham Tohtia , a prominent Uyghur scholar , was charged with `` separatism '' Detained by police in January , he was taken to his native province of Xinjiang . Police say they gathered firm evidence of him colluding with overseas forces to `` spread separatist ideas '' Tohti 's lawyers have said that the scholar continues to emphasize his innocence .