Rebiya Kadeer
Rebiya Kadeer (Uyghur: رابىيە قادىر, romanized: Rabiye Qadir; born 15 November 1946) is an ethnic Uyghur businesswoman and political activist. Born in Altay City, Xinjiang, Kadeer became a millionaire in the 1980s through her real estate holdings and ownership of a multinational conglomerate. Kadeer held various positions in the National People's Congress in Beijing and other political institutions before being arrested in 1999 for, according to Chinese state media, sending confidential internal reference reports to her husband, who worked in the United States as a pro-East Turkistan independence broadcaster. After she fled to the United States in 2005 on compassionate release, Kadeer assumed leadership positions in overseas Uyghur organizations such as the World Uyghur Congress.
Rebiya Kadeer | |
|---|---|
| رابىيە قادىر 热比娅·卡德尔 | |
| 2nd President of the World Uyghur Congress | |
| In office 27 November 2006 – 12 November 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Erkin Alptekin |
| Succeeded by | Dolkun Isa |
| President of the Uyghur American Association | |
| In office 2006–2011 | |
| Member of the 8th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference | |
| In office March 1993 – March 1998 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 November 1946 Altay City, Altay Prefecture, Xinjiang, China |
| Political party | Chinese Communist Party (expelled 1999) |
| Spouse(s) | Abdurehim Tohti (m. 1962, div. 1977), Sidik Haji Rozi (m. 1981) |
| Children | 6 (with Abdurehim Tohti), 5 (with Sidik Rozi) |
| Residence(s) | Virginia, United States |
| Occupation | Political activist |
| Known for | Former President of the World Uyghur Congress (2006.11 – 2017.11) Nobel Peace Prize Nominee (5 times) |
| Website | World Uyghur Congress website |