Authorities in Xinjiang have banned dozens of Uyghur-language songs, including the beloved folk ballad "Besh pede." Residents caught downloading, playing, or sharing these songs online risk imprisonment. A leaked October 2023 police meeting recording in Kashgar revealed strict warnings against such actions. Attendees were told to avoid Muslim greetings like "As-salamu alaykum" and replace the phrase "Allahqa amanet" with "May the Communist Party protect you." This reflects the ongoing cultural crackdown in Xinjiang, home to the Turkic Uyghur minority. China's government claims these measures target terrorism and religious extremism, but critics see it as part of a wider suppression of Uyghur identity. More than one million Uyghurs and other minorities have reportedly faced extrajudicial detention since 2017. In one case, 27-year-old Uyghur music producer Yashar Xiaohelaiti was sentenced to three years in prison and fined for uploading "problematic" songs and downloading banned e-books. Others have faced detention for simply listening to or sharing Uyghur music. Experts say the ban covers seven song categories, including religious content and songs linked to detained or imprisoned Uyghur artists. A recorded message at the Kashgar meeting gave examples of people jailed for 10 days for possessing these tunes. Despite China’s claims of normalcy in Xinjiang after closing detention camps, the ban on Uyghur songs marks a subtle but continuing repression of culture, language, and religion in the region.