The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) released today the 2015 Annual Report on human rights situation in Tibet in Dharamshala, India. The annual report is available in Tibetan, English and Chinese.
In 2015, the human rights situation in Tibet did not improve and China continued to violate international law. At the same time, more and more issues involving Tibet have become issues of international concern. Ranging from the environment to the right to privacy to the treatment of Tibetans abroad, it is increasingly difficult for China to dismiss international attention and consideration. As China continues to violate human rights, it is also working to increase the legal justifications for repression.
In 2015, policies were implemented and laws passed to increase mass surveillance. Religious figures were targeted for disappearance, detention, and, sometimes, death. Local Chinese police also detained monks and laypeople, and in many cases, they used pretence to detain community leaders, who are frequently religious leaders.
Despite the global attention in Paris to reducing climate change, China has prioritized rhetoric over substance and failed to implement policies to actually protect and preserve the unique and fragile ecosystem in Tibet.
China passed laws on national security and counterterrorism that appear to do little but provide China with a convenient pretext to continue violating human rights. Also in 2015, China launched one of the largest crackdowns on human rights lawyers in recent history.
The trend of abusing human rights to silence dissent was frequently used in Tibet where solo protesters were quickly arrested and artists, poets, and intellectuals targeted for arrest.
Internationally, the rule of law prevailed despite attempts by States to please the Chinese by crushing dissent. In the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Australia, Tibetans exercising their right to peacefully protest were detained. In all three cases, pro-Tibet activists were released and not charged with crimes. However, it remains discouraging that the activists were detained in the first place.
To download the report, click here