Marking the eighth anniversary of the unjust imprisonment of Dr. Gulshan Abbas by the Government of the People's Republic of China, condemning the use of transnational repression to retaliate against the exercise of free speech in the United States, and calling for her immediate and unconditional release.

suppress criticism beyond its borders; Whereas Congress has repeatedly condemned the arbitrary detention of Dr. Abbas and called for her release; Whereas, on May 13, 2026, the House unanimously agreed to pass House Resolution 1259, which called on the President to prioritize securing the release of Dr. Abbas and other individuals unjustly detained by the Government of the People's Republic of China during engagements with President Xi Jinping; Whereas the continued imprisonment of Dr. Abbas despite repeated bipartisan appeals from Congress and the international community demonstrates the need for sustained diplomatic pressure and accountability; Whereas September 10, 2026, marks eight years since Dr. Abbas was taken from her family and deprived of her freedom; Whereas Dr. Abbas has 24 immediate and extended family members who are United States citizens or reside in the United States, including her daughters and sister, making her continued imprisonment a matter that directly affects an American family and community; Whereas for eight years, the children, grandchildren, siblings, and other loved ones of Dr. Abbas have been denied her presence while continuing to advocate for her freedom from the United States; Whereas the case of Dr. Abbas is a stark reminder that transnational repression is not an abstract foreign policy concern, but a direct challenge to the ability of people in the United States to exercise their fundamental freedoms without fear that a foreign government will retaliate against their loved ones; and Whereas defending the freedom of speech of people in the United States requires opposing efforts by foreign governments to silence that speech through coercion, intimidation, or retaliation against family members abroad: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives-- (1) marks the eighth anniversary of the unjust and arbitrary detention of Dr. Gulshan Abbas and stands in solidarity with Dr. Abbas and her family; (2) calls on the Government of the People's Republic of China to immediately and unconditionally release Dr. Abbas and permit her to reunite with her family; (3) condemns the Government of the People's Republic of China for using the detention, imprisonment, harassment, or intimidation of family members as a means of retaliating against and silencing individuals exercising their fundamental freedoms in the United States; (4) affirms that attempts by any foreign government to punish individuals or their family members because of speech lawfully expressed in the United States constitute an unacceptable form of transnational repression and an affront to the fundamental freedoms and sovereignty of the United States; (5) reaffirms that individuals in the United States must be able to exercise their rights to freedom of speech, expression, religion, association, and peaceful advocacy without fear that a foreign government will retaliate against their relatives abroad; (6) calls on the President, the Secretary of State, and other appropriate officials of the United States Government to raise the case of Dr. Abbas at every appropriate opportunity in bilateral engagements with officials of the People's Republic of China, including at the highest levels, until she is released; (7) calls on the President to prioritize securing the immediate release of Dr. Abbas in engagements with President Xi Jinping and other senior officials of the People's Republic of China; (8) urges the Secretary of State, in coordination with the heads of other appropriate Federal departments and agencies, to use all diplomatic tools available to the United States to secure the release of Dr. Abbas and other political prisoners arbitrarily detained by the Government of the People's Republic of China; (9) calls on the United States Government to identify and, where appropriate, impose sanctions and other accountability measures on officials of the Government of the People's Republic of China responsible for the arbitrary detention of Dr. Abbas and for acts of transnational repression targeting individuals in the United States and their family members; (10) urges the United States Government to work with allies, partners, and relevant international institutions to press for the release of Dr. Abbas and to oppose the use of arbitrary detention as an instrument of transnational repression; (11) calls on the Government of the People's Republic of China, pending the immediate release of Dr. Abbas, to provide verifiable information concerning her location, health, and conditions of detention, permit regular communication with her family, ensure access to necessary medical treatment, and permit access by appropriate independent international observers; and (12) declares that the House of the Representatives will continue to speak the name of Dr. Gulshan Abbas and advocate for her freedom until she is reunited with her family. <all>