Rushan Abbas Delivers Spotlight Address at International Religious Freedom Summit

  • February 7, 2026

CFU PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 6, 2026, 1:30 PM EST

Contact: contact@campaignforuyghurs.org    

https://campaignforuyghurs.org/

Washington, D.C. – Earlier this week, as a convening partner of the International Religious Freedom Summit (IRF Summit) 2026, Campaign for Uyghurs (CFU) played a key role in highlighting the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) attacks on religious communities. CFU Executive Director Rushan Abbas also delivered a compelling address as a spotlight speaker on the CCP’s ongoing Uyghur genocide, transnational repression, and threats to the global faith communities.

IRF Summit 2026 brought together international religious freedom leaders, advocates from around the world, and a diverse coalition of civil society actors who passionately support religious freedom worldwide. CFU’s participation included panels, briefings, and networking sessions, providing critical insights into how the CCP suppresses faith and freedom. We were also able to reconnect with Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, United States Ambassador to the United Nations Michael Waltz, MEP Miriam Lexmann, and many other longstanding partners and allies committed to advancing human rights and religious freedom.

In her speech, Rushan addressed the regime’s destruction of mosques, forced sterilization of Uyghur women, forced separations of Uyghur children from their families, and ongoing persecution of Hong Kongers, Tibetans, Southern Mongolians, and Falun Gong practitioners, underscoring that religious oppression in China is both systemic and global in its consequences. She also drew attention to her sister, Dr. Gulshan Abbas, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison by the CCP on fabricated charges as retaliation for Rushan’s advocacy, highlighting the regime’s practice of kin punishment to suppress dissent.

“Religious persecution thrives when it is treated as an isolated crisis rather than a global human rights emergency,” said Rushan Abbas. “China’s systematic targeting of religious communities shows that this is not just an Uyghur issue, but part of a broader campaign to export repression and silence critical voices beyond its borders. The world can no longer afford to look away.”

The Uyghur plight was prominently featured in the main sessions and consistently highlighted throughout the IRF Summit 2026. The summit has provided a platform to amplify the voices of persecuted communities and inform policymakers and advocates. CFU urges the international community to take decisive action to confront the CCP’s ongoing genocide, crimes against humanity, transnational repression, and religious persecution.

Campaign for Uyghurs is a Washington D.C. based non-profit organization committed to amplifying Uyghur voices and raising awareness of the atrocities being carried out in the Uyghur Region. In recognition of our efforts, CFU was awarded the NED 2025 Democracy Award, World Democracy Courage Tribute in July 2021, and was nominated twice for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022 and 2025.

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Campaign for Uyghurs

We defend the human rights of Uyghur people and the free world by exposing and confronting the Chinese government's genocide, and empowering Uyghur women and youth in the diaspora.

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