An Australian man, whose wife and son are trapped in far western China, is pleading with the federal government to fast-track their return to Sydney.
Sadam Abudusadamu has resolved to ramp up pressure on the Morrison government to help bring his family home, travelling to Parliament House in Canberra to put his family's struggle in the spotlight.
His wife Nadila Wumaier and son Lutfy, who is an Australian citizen, are stuck in a region of China where more than one million Muslim Uighurs are being held in mass detention.
Joined by four other Uighur men, including one whose wife is imprisoned, and flanked by former footballer Craig Foster and Amnesty International campaigners, Mr Abudusadamu held his son's citizenship certificate aloft.
"I'm not going to cry anymore because I'm really past it," he told reporters on Wednesday.
Mr Abudusadamu is hoping to meet with Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne.
"I'm nearly there and I believe that; I'm always giving my wife hope, please don't give up, we're almost there," Mr Abudusadamu said.
"I'm just a simple dad. In August my son will turn two; I really want to celebrate his birthday with my wife, with my son. That's all I'm asking for."
Earlier this month, the federal government formally requested Chinese authorities allow Ms Wumaier and her son to travel to Australia.
However Mr Abudusadamu's lawyer, Michael Bradley, says the government must first issue Ms Wumaier a visa, calling on public officials to fast-track the paperwork.
Mr Bradley said neither he nor his client had heard from the government in months, since a passport was issued to Mr Abudusadamu's son.
"We haven't had any direct contact from either DFAT or Home Affairs since April - that's why we decided to go public," he told AAP.
Foreign Minister Marise Payne last week said China doesn't provide consular access to dual nationals, unless they have actually entered China on their Australian passport.
Earlier this month, Australia co-signed a letter to the UN Human Rights Council, urging China to dismantle its arbitrary detention scheme.
Beijing retaliated by accusing the 22 signatory nations of "smearing" China and interfering in its internal affairs.
The mass internment of Uighurs and members of other ethnic minorities appears to be the largest detainment of people on the basis of religion since the Holocaust.
Australian Associated Press
