The Chief Witness

Escape from China's Modern-Day Concentration Camps

By: Sayragul Sauytbay, Alexandra Cavelius

Narrated by: Xifeng Brooks

Born in China’s northwestern province, Sayragul Sauytbay trained as a doctor before being appointed a senior civil servant. But her life was upended when the Chinese authorities incarcerated her. Her crime? Being Kazakh, one of China’s ethnic minorities.

The northwestern province borders the largest number of foreign nations and is the point in China that is the closest to Europe. In recent years, it has become home to more than 1,200 penal camps - modern-day gulags that are estimated to house three million members of the Kazakh and Uyghur minorities. Imprisoned solely due to their ethnicity, inmates are subjected to relentless punishment and torture, including being beaten, raped, and used as subjects for medical experiments. The camps represent the greatest systematic incarceration of an entire people since the Third Reich.

In prison, Sauytbay was put to work teaching Chinese language, culture, and politics, in the course of which she gained access to secret information that revealed Beijing’s long-term plans to undermine not only its minorities but also democracies around the world. Upon her escape to Europe, she was reunited with her family, but she still lives under constant threat of reprisal. This rare testimony from the biggest surveillance state in the world reveals not only the full, frightening scope of China’s tyrannical ambitions, but also the resilience and courage of its author.

©2021 Sayragul Sauytbay, Alexandra Cavelius (P)2021 Dreamscape Media, LLC

WOW, just wow

Though the subject is tough to hear and reconcile in one's mind and soul, her experiences are so very important to share with the world, and I am grateful that she is courageous enough to do so. This book is powerful and it is my hope that it helps more people take notice of the evilness that is occurring, and prompts changes to bring light to the darkness, and save the innocent people from the tyranny of the CCP.

A must read

I had no idea of the horrible things going on in China. Every day we strive to fill our material hunger with things and these things often with a little sticker made in China we work tirelessly to process, makes me wonder of the brutality I have financed without even thinking. When will we put our foot down and say enough is enough when will decide we will no longer support such a dishonorable and disgraceful regime. We must do our part not to support these terrorists. We must choose people before things, we must realize everything we do, say or even buy has a reaction and consequence. We are funding our demise by supporting such a cruel sickening government. When will we have eves to see and ears to hear!

Frightening and so good

What a brave and courageous woman! So grateful to have heard her story. Powerful, important, aching, and heavy.

Horrifying

This book should be mandatory reading for all politicians and a copy should be in every school library. This is the terrifying life story of a woman who suffered unimaginable horrors for all of us and it would behoove us to pay attention

A must read!

This book should be required reading. The author is thorough in her explanation of her horrific experience. It is an eye opener!

2023 must read

Just listen to it and share with others once you come to your own conclusion.

This woman is very brave

Incredible and powerful read

This should be a must read by everyone! Engaging, enlightening and truly frightening. A brave woman who shares her unimaginable experience.

An Important Message

Sometimes the truth is difficult to hear. However, ignoring this truth could be devastating for the freedom of of people worldwide. Heed the message, make a difference.

PLEASE READ THIS BOOK

This book gave me insight into the atrocious crimes against humanity being committed by the Chinese Communist Party against Uyghur Muslims in the Xinjiang province of China. As a Jewish man, I grew up learning about the Holocaust and warning signs of genocide. The warning signs in Xinjiang are terrifyingly similar to those before the Holocaust. This is a MUST READ.

A Must Read

This book is a raw and inside perspective of the atrocities taking place in China against innocent women, children, and men by the Chinese Communist Party and Chinese officials. I knew the CCP was an autocratic state, but wow….