Rushan Abbas

Chairwoman of the WUC Executive Committee | Exec.Dir. of @CUyghurs | Sister of retired Dr. detained by China since Sept 2018

[Rushan Abbas @RushanAbbas]

Seven years is too long. Not one more day. #FreeGulshanAbbas

[Campaign For Uyghurs @CUyghurs]

.@UyghurJustice has soft-launched the beta version of its educational application “Could You Be Detained?”, which is an interactive educational tool which asks a series of questions based on everyday activities. Participants can discover how ordinary actions can become grounds for arbitrary detention in East Turkistan. Read more below and/or apply for early access.
https://t.co/FNTFJkBSF9

[Freedom House @freedomhouse]

The Chinese government works tirelessly to erase the memory of June 4, 1989 from the internet. The CCP's censorship of Tiananmen is not just about the past—it's about controlling the present. China remains the world's worst environment for internet freedom, with pervasive censorship, surveillance, and punishment for peaceful online expression. Explore Freedom House's latest findings from our #FreedomOnTheNet report: https://t.co/eJIefVoHmo

[Campaign For Uyghurs @CUyghurs]

June 4th, 2026, marks 37 years since the Tiananmen Square Massacre. On this day, Campaign for Uyghurs (CFU) remembers the victims of this massacre and stands with those fighting for justice and democracy. To this day, the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) disregard for fundamental rights and crimes against humanity continues, affecting Uyghurs, Tibetans, Southern Mongolians, dissidents, and other marginalized communities.

“Today, we commemorate the Tiananmen Square Massacre, a defining moment in history that the Chinese government has spent decades trying to erase. It stands as a stark reminder of Beijing’s long-standing repression of dissent and its refusal to tolerate calls for freedom and justice,” said CFU Executive Director Rushan Abbas. “Since the massacre, the machinery of repression has only expanded, increasingly targeting Uyghurs as well as other ethnic and religious groups. As we honor the courage of those who stood for freedom in 1989, we must also stand with those who continue that struggle today.”

Read more here:

https://t.co/WmCSbOl9lB

[Campaign For Uyghurs @CUyghurs]

CFU was grateful to attend this morning’s @ChinaSelect press event honoring the 37th anniversary of the massacre at Tiananmen Square. Hearing from student leaders and advocates including Arthur Liu (pictured), father of Olympic Gold Medalist Alysa Liu, was powerful and inspiring. China’s repressive policies continue to this day and target Uyghurs, Tibetans, Falun Gong practitioners, and many others who speak out against the Chinese regime’s crimes. It is important that the international community honor the legacy of these Tiananmen freedom fighters by pushing back against China’s oppression.

[Campaign For Uyghurs @CUyghurs]

During the 2026 Oslo Freedom Forum, Campaign for Uyghurs hosted a roundtable discussion titled “Exposing China’s Crimes: Modern Slavery & Ethnic Unity.” The moderated conversation, supported by the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, brought together scholars, media representatives, and advocates, including CFU Executive Director @RushanAbbas, @Drlobsangsangay, Senior Visiting Fellow at the East Asian Legal Studies Program at Harvard Law School, Professor Dr. Rune Steenberg of the Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies at the University of Copenhagen, @hagadax, Coordinator for @UyghurJustice, and Mehliya Cetinkaya, Communication Assistant at Campaign for Uyghurs.

The discussion examined the evolving nature of state-imposed forced labor and its connections to authoritarian governance, alongside the role of legal frameworks such as the Ethnic Unity Law in advancing these oppressive policies, including forced marriages and demographic engineering affecting Uyghurs, Tibetans, and other ethnic groups.

The roundtable further explored how forced labor systems intersect with broader mechanisms of coercion and control, and identified ways governments, parliamentarians, civil society organizations, researchers, and industry stakeholders can strengthen coordination and develop actionable responses.

CFU extends its gratitude to all speakers and participants for their thoughtful engagement, insights, and contributions to this important conversation.

[Campaign For Uyghurs @CUyghurs]

Today at the #OsloFreedomForum, Campaign for Uyghurs Executive Director @RushanAbbas joined Dr. Matthew Gillett, Chair Rapporteur of the @UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, and Rémy Amahirwa, son of imprisoned Rwandan opposition leader Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza (@VictoireUmuhoza), for the panel Persecuted for Belief, moderated by Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett (@LantosSwettK), President of the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice (@LantosFndn) and Co-Chair of the @IRFSummit.

The panel highlighted how authoritarian regimes target individuals for their faith and advocacy. Rushan emphasized that Beijing’s repression of Uyghurs continues to evolve, with policies such as the Ethnic Unity Law becoming increasingly invasive while less visible. She also noted that the CCP’s religious persecution extends beyond Uyghur Muslims to other faith communities. The discussion further underscored the ongoing imprisonment of innocent individuals, including Rushan’s sister, Dr. Gulshan Abbas.

#FreeGulshanAbbas @OsloFF

[China Commission @CECCgov]

📢IMPORTANT UPDATE📢
🚨Date and Location Changed🚨
The hearing will now take place on June 4, 2026, from 1:30–3:30 p.m., in Room 106, Dirksen Senate Office Building.
https://t.co/5hDovwnypx #TransnationalRepression

[WORLD LIBERTY CONGRESS @WLCongress]

From prison cells to the frontlines of resistance, from voices silenced to movements rising—this is the World Liberty Congress.

United against dictators. United in freedom, because together, we are stronger.

[Campaign For Uyghurs @CUyghurs]

Campaign for Uyghurs Executive Director @RushanAbbas, Senior Director for Advocacy and Public Affairs Franz Matzner, Student Liaison for Canada Mehliya Cetinkaya, and @CUyghurstudy Executive Director @AhakimIdris are in attendance at this year's Oslo Freedom Forum bringing the Uyghur genocide to the forefront of international attention. While there, Rushan was able to meet with members of the @WLCongress. CFU is grateful for the opportunity to attend and meet with such important allies to the Uyghur cause. @OsloFF

[Campaign For Uyghurs @CUyghurs]

Today, CFU Executive Director @RushanAbbas, @Cuyghurstudy Executive Director @AHakimIdris, and @ziba116 had an important meeting at the Norwegian Foreign Ministry. We are grateful to all foreign governments who support human rights and stand up for the rights of Uyghurs.

[Rushan Abbas @RushanAbbas]

Thank you, @carmenkamanlau, for your outstanding speech at the @. Your voice is a powerful reminder that truth cannot be silenced and freedom is worth fighting for. Honored to stand in solidarity with you!

#OsloFreedomForum

[Washington Times Opinion @WashTimesOpEd]

@RushanAbbas Watch more #PoliticallyUnstable with Kelly Sadler @KellyRiddell: https://t.co/VH4CCZZLAq

[Washington Times Opinion @WashTimesOpEd]

"What's happening to Uyghurs is genocide"

@RushanAbbas, executive director of Campaign for Uyghurs, discusses the crimes committed by China against Uyghurs and why it is so personal to her.

[Michael Lucci @Michael7ucci]

In the novel 1984, "telescreens" symbolize the Party's totalitarian control because they:

☑️Provide constant surveillance
☑️Rarely turn off
☑️Are omnipresent in homes and workplaces
☑️Encourage self-censorship

Chinese law tells us this is the CCP's approach.

Ban them all.

[[email protected] @alisonkilling]

We spoke with dozens of people for this report who provided unprecedented levels of detail and insight into what is happening in Xinjiang and with the Uyghur community. Read the full thing here: https://t.co/EetfqCb7AZ

[[email protected] @alisonkilling]

Researchers and activists say the loss of working-age adults is hollowing out communities, especially in southern Xinjiang where the Uyghur population is concentrated.

[[email protected] @alisonkilling]

Beijing has also expanded labour programmes that move Uyghurs into factory work elsewhere in China — schemes UN experts have said may amount to forced labour - with 3 million people transferred last year.

[[email protected] @alisonkilling]

Children are separated from families at young ages through a sprawling boarding school system. Uyghur activists say this is creating a “generation gap” where many no longer understand their elders’ language.

[[email protected] @alisonkilling]

Our investigation sheds new light on what experts, activists and members of the Uyghur diaspora describe as Beijing’s long-term effort to reshape a people and their culture.

[[email protected] @alisonkilling]

We also found that if Xinjiang were a country, it would have the highest incarceration rate in the world at 1,944 per 100,000 people. China has an incarceration rate of 119 per 100,000 people.