What's less well known, however, is how China is allegedly forcing some Uighurs to spy on weaker communities living abroad.

Correspondent Milt is Bullinger met one such man who claims Chinese state security asked him to spy on someone in Istanbul.

This man fled to Germany, where he is awaiting the outcome of his asylum application, but his story begins in his native Xinjiang, in China's northwest.

On arrival at the airport, I was told to wait at passport control until everybody was gone thing.

Two policemen pulled my jacket over my head thing, so I couldn't see anything.

They put me into a car and drove me away.

I had no idea where we were going.

What you A se mean, was a shop owner selling imported foods, including halal products, in his hometown of Korla.

In 2015, when he returned to Xinjiang from a business trip to Malaysia, he was stopped at the airport and brought to a detention center.

They can.

They brought me into a room there.

They sat me down at a metal table and they tied my legs and my arms to it thing.

They tightened the cuffs until I couldn't move.

It hurt.

E stayed in this position for two days.

E.

We meet a PSA in an apartment in Munich, Germany.

He says he was never told what he was accused off.

His papers say he was suspected of endangering state security.

Acer spent a month in detention.

Then suddenly he was released.

But under one condition, he had to agree that he would work for Chinese state security.

E thought I'd just say yes, stay in touch with them but I had no intention of really working for them.

That was an illusion.

After his release, I say I mean regularly met with an agent who introduced himself as carbon.

He was able to continue traveling abroad, he says.

In the beginning, nothing specific had been asked of him on.

He maintains he never revealed information on anyone, but it's impossible to verify these claims.

About one year later, Issa was detained again.

This time, he was freed with a specific request.

He was told to spy on a young man in Turkey s A left for Istanbul.

Then he decided not to return to China and went on a Webcast with this story.

Carbon called after the show aired.

Hey told me you decided to appear on this show and talk.

But you know that your family is here in China with a lot of debt in.

Since then, many of his relatives have disappeared.

Five siblings have been arrested.

Asia's oldest brother was sentenced to 25 years in jail.

Other Uighurs gave him the news, since he cannot reach any of his relatives by phone his blood and sure, now the Chinese government has separated us forever.

Mhm.

My life wasn't bad.

I wasn't good health doing alright financially.

It was a happy life permission but can talk.

E tried to see the place where he used to live in American Colleague and I are followed around closely, constantly harassed.

The villages in the area seemed eerily empty on many houses have been sealed by the authorities before reaching Aces, village were stopped.

Two men say the coronavirus pandemic is why they're blocking our way.

Then, the Chinese official tells us the real reason there are security guidelines for news in Xinjiang.

You can't just walk around here and interview people.

Theo.

International Community watches Xinjiang closely There have been many negative reports.

One day I asked Corbyn, so many people have been detained and many disappear every day.

So where is this going to end?

Hey answered.

America did not become America without shedding a lot of blood.

Ah, lot more is going to happen here.

Welcome, Drink A on.

He remembers another thing about Coban.

Once the agent had met with him in Istanbul, it became clear to him that Cuban was able to operate freely between Turkey and China.

Recently, a former weaker spy was shot in the back on the street in Istanbul, so Esa decided to move to Germany.

China knows exactly how to find its adversaries, how to gather information, and they're trying everything to stop us from speaking.

He's waiting for his refugee status to be approved, a say mean things that he is relatively safe here.

But he also knows that he could be targeted anywhere.

Joining me now is Rahima memo.

She's the UK director off the World wigger Congress, and she joins me now from London.

Miss Mehmood.

How common is it for wigger is to be made to spy on Uighurs living abroad?

It's very common.

It's not a new thing.

It's been a long history.

China has been trying to spy on any oil horse living abroad, but the Chinese government has already accused of imprisoning upto a million wicker's in detention camps in Xinjiang.

Why does it need to spy on Wicker's abroad?

Well, Chinese government often accused oils Exile communities are carrying out, uh, in their own version, off terrorist activities, splittism and trying to separate East Turkistan from the from China.

On that, that is one off their theory off, persecuting, imprisoning oilers even though you you just mentioned about million.

This is started from 2000 and 16 2017.

But since the occupation 1949 the CCP has been persecuting oilers inside China and also monitoring any Oilers living abroad.

Now wondering, with this atmosphere the way you describe it, how are weaker communities in exile or living abroad?

How are they reacting?

Do they feel safe?

No, I know.

Ah lot off yours.

Ah, lot off, including students.

They don't feel safe when they left China, especially the students who, after obtaining students with Visa there is terms and conditions attached when they left China.

So it is and all especially in during the recent years.

We know since 2017 the band will travel abroad, but prior to that time the students were also suffering on even the people who came for just two with it.

Other countries.

They will also ask Thio to spy on others.

So this is a very common thing.

Uh, for me, even even for me, it seems incredible.

And unbelievable is simply it's very difficult to understand why the CCP have to push or forcing these errors on including some Chinese from the region.

We have actually some credible, credible information, some hand Chinese who came to EUR, Europe and they were also forced Thio spy on the universe on in some cases, when people went to the Chinese Embassy to extend their passport and also they there was a condition.

Eso if you can spy on if you work for us, then we can extend your passport.

That was a kind of common common situation briefly with members.

Do you think governments are aware of this problem and if so, are they taking action to counter it?

I think governments gradually now aware off what is happening, but not yet taken any concrete actions.

But I know from like Sweden, Sweden.

A man called the barber was arrested in 2000 and 10 because off his activities spying activities.

I know I also know several others in Germany that was arrested as well.

But the this situation is so widespread and I do believe other countries should take more concrete action to protect the Oilers on especially protected the oil activists like myself.

He is hoping that that happens.

Rama Memo Dukie Director of the World Weaker Congress Thank you so much for speaking to us.

Thank you.

It's pleasure.