CFU PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 10, 2026, 1:00 PM EDT
Contact: contact@campaignforuyghurs.org
https://campaignforuyghurs.org/
Campaign For Uyghurs Welcomes Canadian Senate Motion Calling for the Immediate Release of Dr. Gulshan Abbas
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Campaign For Uyghurs (CFU) welcomes the motion introduced in the Canadian Senate on June 9 by Senator Leo Housakos calling on the Government of Canada to demand the immediate release of Dr. Gulshan Abbas. The motion comes right before Dr. Abbas’s 64th birthday on June 12, marking the eighth birthday she will spend unjustly imprisoned by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Dr. Gulshan Abbas, a retired physician and sister of CFU Executive Director Rushan Abbas, was forcibly disappeared in September 2018, just days after Rushan spoke publicly at the Hudson Institute about the CCP’s persecution of Uyghurs. After two years of silence regarding her whereabouts, it was revealed that Dr. Abbas had been sentenced in secret proceedings on fabricated charges. 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. Her forced disappearance is an act of retaliation against Rushan’s human rights advocacy and a clear example of the Chinese government’s transnational repression.
Senator Housakos introduced the motion after learning about Dr. Abbas’s case during the Canadian launch event of Rushan Abbas’s memoir, Unbroken: One Uyghur’s Fight for Freedom, in April 2026. Senator Housakos has long been a vocal supporter of the Uyghur cause and has consistently raised concerns about transnational repression and the persecution of other marginalized communities. The motion reflects his longstanding commitment to defending human rights and supporting victims of persecution.
“It’s been nearly 8 years since Dr. Gulshan Abbas was taken by Beijing…This is textbook transnational repression. Today, I tabled a Senate motion calling on Canada to stand up and demand her immediate release,” Senator Housakos stated on June 9.
“I am deeply grateful to Senator Housakos for his leadership and commitment to securing my sister’s freedom,” said Rushan Abbas. “The CCP wants advocates to believe that speaking out comes with consequences and that we stand alone in this fight. Senator Housakos has demonstrated that democratic leaders will not turn away from injustice. His action sends a powerful message that the CCP’s persecution and transnational repression are not only a threat to Uyghurs, but to the democratic values we all share. As my sister approaches her eighth birthday in captivity, I hope this motion brings renewed urgency to her case and helps bring us one step closer to her freedom.”
As one of the first countries to recognize the Uyghur genocide with a commitment to resettling 10,000 Uyghur refugees, Canada has played an important role in advancing international awareness and accountability. CFU urges Canadian lawmakers to support the swift passage of this motion and continue leading global efforts to counter Uyghur genocide, state-imposed forced labor, and secure the release of Dr. Gulshan Abbas and all Uyghurs unjustly detained by the Chinese government.
With another birthday approaching in captivity, CFU calls on the international community to raise her case, demand proof of her well-being, and press for her immediate and unconditional release. On June 12, post on social media using #FreeGulshanAbbas and call on governments to take action pushing for her immediate release. Together, we can keep the pressure on China and help bring Gulshan home to her children and grandchildren.
