Born: 1967 (Ürümqi, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China)
Biography:
Rushan Abbas (Uyghur: ; Chinese: ·; born June 14, 1967) is a Uyghur American activist and advocate from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China. She is the founder and executive director of the nonprofit Campaign for Uyghurs. Abbas became one of the most prominent Uyghur voices in international activism following her sister’s detainment by the Chinese government in 2018. She testified in 2019 before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in regard to the emergence of concentration camps in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, and the threat of Chinese power in the Eastern Pacific. She has also testified before the House of Representatives on international religious persecution, forced labor, and human rights abuses as they relate to Uyghurs.
Born in Ürümqi in 1967, Rushan Abbas attended the Experiential High School (Ürümqi Number 17th High school) and graduated in 1984. It is not clear when she went to primary school because during the 70s and 80s (until 1985), the elementary, middle, and high schools were all together for 10 years in Ürümqi. It seems she started primary school when she was 7 in 1974, in order to graduate in 1984. She then continued her studies and attended Xinjiang University from 1984 until 1988, majoring in Biology. During her time at university, Abbas was one of the co-organizers of the pro-democracy rallies and demonstrations in 1985 and 1988 to protest China’s policies in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
In 1989, Rushan Abbas came to the United States and attended Washington State University, where she pursued studies in plant pathology. During Abbas’ time in the United States, she became a U.S. citizen and remained within the Uyghur American community, continuing her advocacy work, which she has actively done since 1985. She has been a vocal activist, advocating for the human rights of Uyghurs.
According to Abbas, China punished her father, Abbas Borhan, a Uyghur scholar, academic writer, and public figure, for her activism, retiring him at the age of 59 and removing him as chairman of the Science and Technology Council of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Shortly after the September 11 attacks, Abbas worked as a contractor for the U.S. military, interpreting interrogations of Uyghur detainees at Guantanamo Bay until 2002. Since 2005, she has worked to help settle Uyghurs who have been released from Guantanamo Bay.
Rushan Abbas founded the nonprofit organization Campaign for Uyghurs in 2017, aiming to advocate for the rights and freedom of Uyghur people who have faced severe repression under the Chinese government. She has been in the forefront of raising awareness about the human rights abuses faced by Uyghurs in Xinjiang, specifically the mass detention and forced assimilation programs implemented by the Chinese authorities.
As a leading Uyghur activist, Rushan Abbas has regularly appeared in national and international media, shedding light on the plight of Uyghurs and calling for international action to address the crisis. She has been invited to speak at various forums, conferences, and events, where she passionately advocates for the rights of her community and highlights the urgent need for justice and accountability.
Rushan Abbas’s tireless efforts and dedication to the cause have made her one of the most influential Uyghur voices in the world. Through her advocacy work and campaigning, she continues to inspire others to take action and stand up against human rights violations. Her important role in shedding light on the struggles and challenges faced by Uyghurs has significantly contributed to raising global awareness and mobilizing support for the Uyghur cause.