Jewher is an Uyghur rights advocate, public speaker and author. She has advocated for her father İlham Tohti’s release and the rights of the Uyghur people before the US Congress, UN General Assembly and European Parliament.
Jewher was a key speaker at the 2019 Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom hosted by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Soon after, she was invited to The White House to speak to President Donald J. Trump about the plight of Uyghurs. Last year, Jewher also addressed the UN General Assembly on the atrocities the Chinese government is committing against Uyghurs. In December, she accepted the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought on behalf of her father and urged the European Parliament to hold China accountable. Earlier this year, Jewher called attention to the human rights crisis in her homeland at the Geneva Summit.
In addition to writing op-eds for publications like The New York Times, Jewher published her first book – Jewher Ilham: A Uyghur’s Fight to Free Her Father – in 2015. Congrats! She hopes to release her second book early next year.
Jewher recently graduated with a degree in Political Science, Arabic and Central Eurasian Studies from Indiana University, where she also coached a dance group. She is currently assisting on a documentary film about Uyghurs and continues to advocate on behalf of her father and the Uyghur people. You can support the filming of the documentary here: Static and Noise
Show the world just how strong Uyghur women are Jewher Ilham. We’re super proud of you.