Daughter of Uyghur prisoner appeals to Trump for clemency during summit with Xi

<p>Ziba Murat, an American woman whose mother has been imprisoned in China for eight years, expressed hope that President Donald Trump will request clemency from Chinese leader Xi Jinping during their summit on Thursday. In an interview, Murat stated, "We are doing everything we can to bring this in front of President Trump, and I know that if he knows about this case, he will care about this case."</p><p>Murat's mother, Dr. Gulshar Abbas, was 56 when she disappeared from her home on September 10, 2018. Murat claims that Chinese officials later confirmed that Abbas was convicted on charges related to terrorism and sentenced to 20 years in prison, which Murat describes as fabricated.</p><p>According to Murat, Abbas's disappearance occurred shortly after her sister, Rushan Abbas, spoke publicly about the treatment of Uyghurs in China. Murat noted that it took nearly two years for the family to discover her mother's whereabouts.</p><p>Rushan Abbas leads Campaign for Uyghurs, an advocacy group focused on the rights of the Uyghur population in China. Murat has received support from House Speaker Mike Johnson, who has advocated for her mother's release.</p><p>Despite these efforts, Murat has faced challenges due to the secretive nature of the Chinese government and ongoing tensions between the U.S. and China. She hopes that the summit will lead to progress in her mother's case.</p><p>During the interview, Murat described the impact of her mother's absence on her family, particularly on her young daughter, who is beginning to ask questions about her grandmother. Murat shared that her daughter was only three months old when Abbas disappeared and is now eight years old.</p><p>A senior White House official confirmed that Trump is expected to ask Xi to release at least one prisoner, U.S. citizen Dr. Youlin Chen, who was arrested in 2024.</p><p>Editor's Note: The interview with Abbas was lightly edited for grammar and clarity.</p>