IRF Summit 2026: Rushan Abbas exposes China's religious war

By Ahmet Taş | Wise News Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The International Religious Freedom (IRF) Summit 2026 convened this week, bringing together global policymakers and civil society leaders with a sharp focus on the systematic persecution of religious minorities by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Rushan Abbas, Executive Director of the Campaign for Uyghurs (CFU), delivered a spotlight address exposing Beijing's war on faith. She argued that the oppression of Uyghurs is not merely a domestic issue for China but a transnational threat to global security and freedom of conscience.

Systematic persecution and genocide

In her address, Abbas detailed the harrowing reality of life in East Turkistan, citing ongoing mosque demolitions, the forced sterilization of Uyghur women, and the separation of children from their families to be indoctrinated in state-run camps.

She emphasized that this campaign of erasure extends beyond the Uyghur homeland. "The CCP’s war on faith targets not only Uyghurs but also Hong Kongers, Tibetans, Southern Mongolians, and Falun Gong practitioners," Abbas stated, highlighting the breadth of the regime's authoritarian reach.

Transnational repression: A personal toll

Abbas illustrated the CCP's tactic of "collective punishment" through her own family's tragedy. She spoke of her sister, Dr. Gulshan Abbas, a retired medical doctor who was sentenced to 20 years in prison on fabricated charges.

This act of retaliation, Abbas noted, was designed to silence her activism abroad, serving as a stark example of how Beijing uses transnational repression to intimidate dissidents living in free societies.

High-level diplomatic engagement

During the summit, the CFU delegation held strategic meetings with key political figures, including former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, U.S. Ambassador to the UN Michael Waltz, and Member of the European Parliament Miriam Lexmann.

These briefings focused on the technical aspects of China's suppression strategies and the urgent need for democratic nations to adopt a coordinated stance. The delegation urged policymakers to move beyond condemnation and take concrete steps to address the ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity.

A global emergency

Framing the crisis as a test for the free world, Abbas concluded her remarks with a call to action:

"China's systematic targeting of religious communities shows that this is not just a Uyghur issue; it is part of a broader campaign that exports oppression beyond its borders. The world can no longer close its eyes to this situation."

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