In a classroom in western China, children once learned to sing and count in the language of their ancestors — Uyghur. Then, the doors were locked, and founder Abduweli Ayup went from teacher to enemy of the state, as a crackdown on his people kicked into overdrive. From the “Click Here” podcast, Dina Temple-Raston reports.

An earlier version of this story appeared on the “CLICK HERE” podcast from Recorded Future News and PRX. Additional reporting by Sean Powers.