March 5, 2026, By Turkistan Times Staff
(Based on reports from Emily Brooks, The Hill & Social Media)
WASHINGTON D.C. — In a significant moment for the Uyghur community, Ziba Murat attended the 2026 State of the Union address on February 24 as a guest of House Speaker Mike Johnson. Her presence in the House Chamber was intended to keep the spotlight on the case of her mother, Dr. Gulshan Abbas, a retired physician who has been held in Chinese custody since 2018.
Following the event, Murat shared her reflections on social media, describing the experience as a mixture of duty and personal pain. "I stood in the House Chamber last night with a heavy heart but a firm resolve," she posted on February 25. She expressed her gratitude to Speaker Johnson for the invitation, noting that the opportunity was vital for highlighting the plight of not only her mother but all those unjustly detained by the Chinese government.
A Call for Diplomatic Intervention
Dr. Gulshan Abbas was detained shortly after her sister, activist Rushan Abbas, spoke out against the treatment of Uyghurs in East Turkistan. The family has long maintained that her imprisonment is a form of retaliation. Speaker Johnson echoed this sentiment in his statement, calling the detention part of the CCP’s "heinous treatment" of the Uyghur people and a violation of human rights that the international community cannot ignore.
The timing of this advocacy is particularly critical as President Trump prepares for a high-stakes visit to China scheduled for late March. While the administration’s agenda has been heavily focused on trade and economic policies, Murat and other Uyghur advocates are urging the White House to prioritize the humanitarian crisis. In her message, Murat specifically appealed to the President: "Please use the full weight of your office to reunite American families. Our loved ones have suffered long enough."
As the Uyghur diaspora continues to face the challenges of transnational repression, Murat's appearance at the Capitol serves as a reminder of the thousands of families still separated. The community now looks toward the upcoming diplomatic meetings in Beijing to see if this visibility will translate into the release of Dr. Abbas and others like her.
