1. In November 2019, Hoja received the Magnitsky Human Rights Award for her reporting on the ongoing human rights crisis in Xinjiang and in 2020, Hoja received the Courage in Journalism Award from the International Women's Media Foundation and was listed among The 500 Most Influential Muslims.
Gulchehra Hoja was born in 1973 in Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China.
Gulchehra Hoja's father was a noted author and archaeologist who served as the head of the archeology department of Xinjiang Regional Museum; Gulchehra Hoja's writing focused on Uyghur language and history and his archeological work included field work on mummies found in the Tarim Basin.
Gulchehra Hoja's mother worked both as a professor of pharmacology and as a pharmacist.
Gulchehra Hoja has one brother, who is one-and-one-half years younger than her.
Gulchehra Hoja's grandfather was a widely known composer of traditional Uyghur music.
Gulchehra Hoja is a graduate of Xinjiang Normal University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in Uyghur language and literature.
Gulchehra Hoja worked for Chinese state media outlets, including Xinjiang Television and China Central Television.
Gulchehra Hoja first started to become uncomfortable with her work with Chinese state media and the treatment of the Uyghur people after she visited and reported on Uyghur children who were taken away from their home and villages to be raised in "mainland" China.
In 2001, while on vacation in Austria, Gulchehra Hoja accessed the internet for the first time and learned about the activities of the Uyghur activists outside of China.
In 2017 Gulchehra Hoja was accused of being a terrorist by the Chinese government and placed on the Most Wanted list.
Gulchehra Hoja's brother was arrested at this time and placed in one of the Xinjiang internment camps due to Hoja's reporting.
On January 28,2018, Gulchehra Hoja published an interview with Omurbek Eli, who was arrested and accused of "terrorist activities" while visiting his parents in Xinjiang.
On March 27,2019, Gulchehra Hoja met with US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo as a representative of persons with family members held in the Xinjiang internment camps.
In November 2019, Gulchehra Hoja received the Magnitsky Human Rights Award for her reporting on the ongoing human rights crisis in Xinjiang.
In 2020, Gulchehra Hoja was listed among The 500 Most Influential Muslims.
In 2020, Gulchehra Hoja received the Courage in Journalism Award from the International Women's Media Foundation.