Rayhan Asat is a human rights lawyer, international law scholar, and advocate of Uyghur heritage. Known for her outspoken support and relentless advocacy in the face of political censorship and systematic oppression, Rayhan uses her expertise in international law as a lawyer and scholar to fight for the advancement of human rights across the world. In October 2022, Rayhan was honored in the Vox News’ inaugural FuturePerfect50, a list of 50 visionary agents of change who are changing the world into a better place for everyone.

Rayhan is working on her doctorate at Harvard Law School, examining the rise of authoritarian international law and its impact on the global order. Her research focuses on the absence of international law regulations in cutting-edge issues like Artificial intelligence (AI), calling for ethical standards in algorithmic justice and raising alarms about state-led disinformation and propaganda. 

For her commitment to global peace and justice, Rayhan has been recognized among 16 exceptional leaders and appointed a World Fellow 2021 by Yale University. In 2022, Rayhan was named as a democracy fellow by Stanford University's Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law Initiative. In March 2024, the New York Bar Association International Law Committee honored her with the “EPIC Justice Award” for her work championing women’s rights and gender equality.

As a graduate of Harvard Law, Oxford University, and Osgoode Hall Law School, Rayhan began her professional career at a major U.S. Wall Street law firm. She specializes in international law, international human rights law, and compliance with best business practices. Her legal and policy work centers around enforcing international human rights norms and civil liberties, curtailing forced labor, and promoting corporate accountability and democratic international law.  

She works with civil society, diplomats, lawmakers, businesses, and youth to address human rights concerns, especially the atrocities in Xinjiang. She advised international institutions like the World Bank and the OECD to design Human-Centered Business Integrity Principles and briefed UN experts on atrocity crimes. Rayhan has testified before the U.S. Congress and parliaments around the world, including the Canadian House of Commons, the UK House of Commons, the European Parliament, and the Lithuanian Parliament.

Rayhan is a sought-after speaker at national and frequent speaker at national and international law conferences. She was a featured speaker at the invitation of President Joseph Biden at the Summit for Democracy. She also appeared alongside world leaders such as former Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Arden and the former High Commissioner of Human Rights Michele Bachelet in global forums. She also spoke at the Oslo Freedom, Global Progressive Forums, JeJu Forum, and former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon. In Spring 2020, Rayhan also took part in the world’s foremost historical debating society, the Oxford Union.

The US Ambassador to the United Nations, Honorable Linda Thomas-Greenfield, has praised Rayhan for her principled advocacy, determination, and courage. She serves as an advisor to several human rights organizations.

Her human rights advocacy has been featured in the New York Times, BBC, CNN, Voice of America, The Hill, the Globe and Mail, The UK Mirror, Al Jazeera, Quartz, Japanese TV shows, and many other media outlets. In addition to legal journals, her writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Foreign Policy, New Statesman, NBC, The Hill, The Platform, Just Security, The Lawfare, and many other prominent publications.

Rayhan loves teaching and mentoring students. She has coached American University Washington College of Law’s moot court team for three consecutive years and serves as a mentor with LawWithoutWalls, a multidisciplinary legal shark tank-style competition.

While at Harvard University, she was a teaching fellow and partnered with a leading Harvard Business School professor to teach a course on emerging markets, opportunities, and challenges. Rayhan loves exploring the intersection between law, technology, business, and human rights.  She also completed two programs in Disruptive Strategy and Entrepreneurship Essentials courses at Harvard Business School Online. Rayhan served as the Chair of Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs (HAE) D.C.