Enes Kanter Freedom, a former NBA player, human rights advocate, and nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize, delivered a speech at Rice University on February 27, sharing insights from his diverse life experiences across the globe.
Freedom’s advocacy for democracy became prominent when he publicly likened the current Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, to “Hitler of our century.” Subsequently, Turkey invalidated Freedom’s citizenship, detained his father, and issued a warrant for his arrest with a bounty of $500,000 on his head.
Invited by Craig Considine, a senior lecturer in Rice’s sociology department, Freedom was given a platform to address the university community.
Considine remarked on the intensity of Enes’ life journey, highlighting the revocation of his citizenship, multiple international arrest warrants, and the challenges he faced as a human rights activist. Considine emphasized Freedom’s role in amplifying the voices of marginalized individuals who lack representation.
Freedom’s focus on the Turkish government shifted when he was confronted about his silence on human rights abuses in China, particularly regarding the Uyghur population’s plight in concentration camps.
Motivated by the harrowing stories of Uyghur activists detailing atrocities like forced sterilizations and organ harvesting, Freedom embarked on a mission to raise awareness through his unique approach. He designed custom shoes featuring movements such as #FreeTibet and #FreeUyghurs to share these untold narratives.
While his criticism of the Turkish government garnered support, speaking out against the Chinese authorities led to resistance from both his peers and the NBA. Despite facing warnings and potential financial repercussions, Freedom remained steadfast in his advocacy efforts, refusing to compromise his principles for monetary gain.
In his pursuit to shed light on the Uyghur crisis, Freedom extended his outreach beyond basketball, urging other sports leagues to take a stand. Despite encountering reluctance due to sponsorship concerns, Freedom underscored the moral imperative of addressing human rights violations and taking tangible actions.
Freedom’s commitment to advocating for the Uyghur community extended to legislative initiatives like the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, aimed at prohibiting the import of products manufactured through forced labor in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
Reflecting on her conversation with Freedom, Ashlyn Zhang, a member of Rice University’s women’s basketball team, emphasized the power of sports as a universal language that bridges differences. Zhang highlighted the value of hosting individuals like Enes Kanter Freedom on campus to enrich students’ perspectives with diverse global insights.