Human Rights Watch Honors Uighur Woman Imprisoned in China (Human Rights Watch Press release, New York, November 13, 2000)

Human Rights Watch Honors Uighur Woman Imprisoned in China

Related Material

Voices for Justice
HRW Annual Dinner

Human Rights Watch Honors Global Rights Defenders
Press Release, November 13, 2000

Xinjiang, China's Restive Northwest
Backgrounder, November 2000

(New York, November 13, 2000) On Tuesday, November 14, Human Rights Watch will give its highest recognition to Rebiya Kadeer, a businesswoman from Urumqi, China sentenced to eight years in prison in March for "illegally passing intelligence outside of China."

Ms. Kadeer, from the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region in China's northwest, gained prominence for her successful business ventures that provided employment, training and education to her fellow Uighurs (an ethnic Turkic group). She was arrested ahead of a planned meeting with U.S. Congressional staffers in 1999. Rebiya Kadeer will be honored by Human Rights Watch in absentia, with her husband, Sidik Rouzi, a former political prisoner, attending the awards dinner on her behalf. One of Ms. Kadeer=s sons and her secretary are also in labor camps, which they were sentenced to without trial or legal representation. The 2000 Human Rights Watch Annual Dinners, in New York and Los Angeles will honor five human rights defenders from around the world. Through their perseverance these individuals fought for justice in China, Russia, India, Jordan, and Sierra Leone. Often, they risk their lives to defend their fellow citizens from abusive governments and armed forces. Human Rights Watch works with these brave individuals on the ground as part of our defense of human rights in more than 70 countries around the world.

Human Rights Watch is a non-profit, international monitoring group with headquarters in New York. It accepts no financial support from any government, directly or indirectly.

Background on Rebiya Kadeer Rebiya Kadeer has been in prison since March 1999. She will be honored by Human Rights Watch in absentia. Ms. Kadeer is from the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region in China's northwest. In August 1999, she was arrested by the Chinese authorities on charges of leaking state secrets and providing information about dissidents to Westerners. No member of her family has seen her since. She received an 8-year prison term and her appeal was turned down November 9. Rebiya's son and secretary are also in detention as a result of their connection to her. Her husband, Sidik Rouzi, imprisoned earlier for campaigning against China's treatment of Uighurs, and has commented on Uighur issues for Radio Free Asia. He will attend the dinners on Rebiya's behalf. For more information on Rebiya Kadeer, go to: http://www.hrw.org/press/2000/03/china0310.htm

HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH