Rebiya Kadeer, born on November 15, 1946, in Altay City, Xinjiang, China, is a prominent Uyghur entrepreneur, political activist, and human rights advocate. She is widely recognized as one of the most influential figures in the Uyghur diaspora and has served as president of both the World Uyghur Congress and the Uyghur American Association.
Kadeer rose from modest beginnings to become one of the wealthiest individuals in China. Following a divorce at age 28, she launched a successful laundry business to support her children. She later expanded her ventures into commodity trading, real estate, and retail, eventually establishing a department store and a multinational conglomerate in Urumqi. By the early 1990s, she was widely recognized as one of the wealthiest women in China.
In the 1990s, Kadeer was initially embraced by the Chinese government, which utilized her success as a symbol of Uyghur integration. She held several prominent positions, including delegate to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, member of the National People's Congress, and delegate to the 1995 United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women. She also engaged in philanthropy, founding the "Thousand Mothers Movement" in 1997 to provide job training and economic empowerment to Uyghur women.
However, her relationship with the Chinese government deteriorated after she began openly criticizing government policies and advocating for the rights of the Uyghur people, particularly following the 1997 crackdown on Uyghur protestors in Ghulja. In August 1999, Kadeer was arrested on her way to meet with a visiting U.S. congressional delegation.
In March 2000, she was convicted of "leaking state secrets" in a closed trial and sentenced to eight years in prison. Her imprisonment drew significant international attention, leading to various human rights awards, including the Rafto Prize for Human Rights in 2004.
Under international pressure, Kadeer was released on medical grounds in March 2005. Following her release, she emigrated to the United States, where she continued her advocacy for the Uyghur cause. She has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize multiple times and is the author of the memoir "Dragon Fighter: One Woman's Epic Struggle for Peace with China."