CFU PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 12, 2024, 1:00 PM 

Contact: sabrina@campaignforugyhurs.org

+1 650-703-4523

www.campaignforuyghurs.org

Washington, D.C. – Campaign for Uyghurs (CFU) strongly urges the immediate release of Dr. Gulshan Abbas as she spends her 6th consecutive birthday today under unjust imprisonment by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Despite international calls for justice from 37 countries, Gulshan continues to be unlawfully held by the Chinese government as part of its global campaign of transnational repression.    

On September 10, 2018, in a blatant act of retaliation against the activism of CFU Executive Director Rushan Abbas and her brother, Dr. Rishat Abbas, President of the Uyghur Academy – International, Gulshan was abducted by the CCP. She is now serving a twenty-year prison sentence on the unfounded charge of “terrorism,” a label commonly given to Uyghurs as part of the CCP’s systematic campaign to eradicate the population during the ongoing Uyghur genocide. Gulshan has never been involved in any sort of politics and is a well-respected retired medical physician in the Uyghur community.

Gulshan, who is now 62, has pre-existing medical conditions that require regular care and treatment. However, her family has not received any information about her well-being since her abduction.     

During its 95th session, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded that the CCP’s detention of Gulshan was arbitrary and in violation of international law, calling for her immediate release. Her case was referred to special rapporteurs and the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances. Gulshan is also included in the U.S. Department of State’s #WithoutJustCause campaign, which highlights individuals wrongfully detained by oppressive regimes around the world. In January 2024, she was added to the list of Prisoners of Conscience as part of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission’s Defending Freedoms Project. Most recently, Senator Dick Durbin highlighted Gulshan’s case at an appropriation committee hearing, and her name was also mentioned in the Senate Resolution honoring the Tiananmen Square Massacre.

Dr. Rishat Abbas stated, “As we mark my sister Gulshan’s 6th birthday in detention, our family feels the weight of her absence. Her imprisonment is a constant reminder of the suffering endured by countless Uyghurs. There are so many innocent people torn from their loved ones. We raise our voices louder to shed light on these cruel injustices and demand their immediate release.”

Rushan Abbas expressed profound sorrow and outrage over her sister’s prolonged detention. “Gulshan, my innocent sister, spends yet another birthday unjustly imprisoned and suffering at the hands of the Chinese Government. This day used to be a celebration of life. Now, it illustrates the CCP’s brutality, and the lengths they will go to silence anyone who dares to speak out against their oppression. It has been over 2,000 days since she disappeared. With each passing day, we are reminded that justice has yet to be served for her and all Uyghurs suffering under tyranny in East Turkistan.” 

CFU calls for Dr. Gulshan Abbas’ immediate and unconditional release and urges governments, human rights organizations, and individuals worldwide to unite in solidarity with her and all those unlawfully detained by the CCP. We invite everyone to join our social media campaign today and demand her freedom.