Rushan Abbas holding up a photo of his sister Gulshan Abbas, imprisoned in China.

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Jacquelyn Martin

Gulshan Abbas had disappeared in detention two years ago.

China confirmed on Thursday that this Uyghur woman doctor was detained for "terrorism".

Her family told a congressional committee in the United States on Wednesday that the 58-year-old woman had been sentenced to twenty years for her activism in favor of the Uyghur cause.

Gulshan Abbas, who is fluent in Mandarin, was arrested in September 2018, according to the testimony of her sister, Rushan Abbas, who is actively campaigning for her sister's release in the United States.

"Today my family shares the terrible news we received on Christmas Day: my sister, Dr Gulshan Abbas, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison by the Chinese regime," Rushan Abbas tweeted Wednesday.

Today my family shared the devastating news we received on #ChristmasDay: that my sister, #DrGulshanAbbas, was sentenced to 20 yrs in prison by the #Chinese regime.

Horrific as her unjust suffering is, I am thankful for the support of so many human rights allies.

#Uyghurs pic.twitter.com/IIU0HKDZKY

- Rushan Abbas (@RushanAbbas) December 30, 2020

China calls on "American politicians" not to interfere "in its affairs"

"Gulshan Abbas has been convicted under the law by Chinese judicial bodies for participating in organized terrorism, aiding terrorist activities and seriously undermining social order," Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang said. Wenbin to reporters, without giving further details.

"We call on American politicians to respect the facts, to stop fabricating lies defaming China, and to refrain from using the Xinjiang issue to interfere in China's affairs," he said. added.

At least a million Muslims interned in "re-education camps"

Uyghurs, Muslims speaking a Turkic language, are the main ethnic group in Xinjiang, a huge region in northwestern China that has common borders with Afghanistan and Pakistan in particular.

The Chinese authorities have launched a policy of maximum surveillance in this region after numerous deadly attacks committed against civilians and attributed to Uyghur separatists and Islamists.

Human rights organizations accuse Beijing of having interned at least one million Muslims in Xinjiang in “re-education camps”.

Beijing speaks of "vocational training centers" intended to distance the population from religious extremism.

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