Rebiya Kadeer

Who is Rebiya Kadeer?

Rebiya Kadeer is an ethnic Uyghur, Chinese national businesswoman and activist. Born in China's Xinjiang region, Kadeer became a millionaire in the 1980s through her real estate holdings and ownership of a multinational conglomerate. Kadeer held various positions in China's parliament and other political institutions before being arrested in 1999 for sending confidential internal reference reports to her husband, who worked for the United States as a pro-Xinjiang independence broadcaster. After she was discharged to the United States in 2005 on compassionate release, Kadeer claimed various leadership titles from overseas Uyghur separatist organizations such as the World Uyghur Congress. Kadeer speaks Uyghur and Mandarin Chinese.