Australian man hugs son for first time, after China allows Uygur family to leave

Sadam Abudusalamu, an Australian citizen, married his wife four years ago in Xinjiang, where his son was born

In 2017, China banned Sadam’s wife and son from leaving Xinjiang by confiscating their passports, in what became a high-profile human rights case in Australia

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Sadam Abudusalamu pictured with his wife Nadila Wumaier and three-year-old son Lufty at Sydney airport in Australia. Photo: Twitter

Published: 12:36pm, 11 Dec 2020Updated: 1:28pm, 11 Dec 2020

An Australian man from China’s Muslim Uygur community was reunited with his family, including a three-year-old son he had never met, after Beijing agreed they could depart Xinjiang.

Sadam Abudusalamu shared photographs of his family arriving at Sydney airport on Thursday, saying on Twitter: “I never thought this day would come.”

He thanked Australia’s Foreign Minister Marise Payne, human rights activists, and “everyone who worked so hard to reunite us”.

Sadam Abudusalamu with his three-year-old son Lufty in Sydney, Australia. Photo: Twitter

In 2017, Chinese authorities banned Sadam’s wife Nadila Wumaier and son from leaving Xinjiang by confiscating their passports, in what became a high-profile human rights case in Australia.

Sadam had come to Australia as a student over a decade ago, and married Nadila in Xinjiang in 2016. Their son Lufty was born in Xinjiang, and granted Australian citizenship in 2019, after Sadam urged the Australian government to help the family.