On the 37th anniversary of the entry into force of the United Nations Convention Against Torture, the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, Tibetan Youth Congress, Students for Free Tibet and Tibetan Women’s Association solemnly commemorates and pays tribute to Tibetan human rights defenders, dissidents, and activists who have endured and continue to endure torture— the severest form of human rights abuse.
The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy joins the international community in observing World Press Freedom Day, as proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993 to remind governments to honor their commitments to press freedom and its core principles. However, in Tibet, China’s stringent control over information severely curtails press freedom and suppresses expression. Through strict regulations on both foreign and domestic journalists, often resulting in imprisonment and torture, China obstructs international efforts to accurately understand the reality in Tibet. This suppression not only denies Tibetan voices agency but also forcefully suppresses independent publications through bans or extensive censorship.
The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) has published a special report titled ‘Chinese Transnational Repression of Tibetan Diaspora Communities’ today, on 6 February 2023, at the Press Club of India, New Delhi. While earlier reports from various organisations have addressed transnational repression impacting diverse ethnic groups, this report is the first comprehensive examination dedicated explicitly to the transnational repression experienced by the Tibetan diaspora communities.
The situation of Tibetan refugees in Nepal has worsened over the years. Since 1995, escalating Chinese pressure has hindered Nepal from issuing documentation to Tibetan refugees, depriving them of fundamental human rights, including travel, employment, and education rights. Referred to by many Tibetans as the “second Tibet,” Nepal now faces a level of repression second only to Tibet under Chinese occupation. Chinese-directed surveillance and espionage carried out in collaboration with Nepali authorities further restrict Tibetans’ freedom of expression and association, hindering cultural and religious practices.
Despite concerns about its human rights record, China secured its seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council with 154 votes, marking its sixth election to the Council. China’s repeated membership raises questions about the effectiveness of the UN’s human rights system and the need for reform in the election process, emphasising the importance of implementing a performance appraisal system to prevent habitual human rights offenders from participating in Council elections. The international community is urged to take action to ensure that the Council’s goals are not compromised and to support human rights advocates in China.
The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) submitted a UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR) report ahead of the fourth periodic review of the People’s Republic of China in January 2024.
The submission outlined a number of concerns and recommendations on specific human rights issues, including repression of Tibetan Buddhism, systematic attacks on the Tibetan language, freedom of expression and association, denial of legal rights of detainees and prisoners, and torture.
TCHRD will conduct a series of advocacy and lobbying activities in the months leading up to the review, targeting embassies in New Delhi and permanent missions in Geneva, respectively, so that States will raise the issues during the interactive dialogue with the PRC government.
TCHRD calls on the Chinese authorities to ensure that the efforts to control the pandemic must be guided by the principles of transparency, integrity, and accountability, in addition to providing timely and proper assistance and support to the affected individuals and families in overcoming one of the greatest public health challenges of our time.
A new report released today by TCHRD provides evidence that using the Tibetan Plateau to offset China’s carbon footprints has not translated into eco-compensation for rural Tibetan landholders for their provisioning of ecosystem services. China distorts the concept of payment for ecosystem services by dislocating Tibetan nomadic communities, and forcibly removing them off their lands.
Chinese authorities have announced the stationing of more than 20,000 cadres in 5,464 villages as part of the controversial ‘Solidify the Foundation, Benefit the Masses’ (Ch: qianji huimin) campaign in TAR.
The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) welcomes the review of People’s Republic of China (PRC) by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (‘Committee’) that took place on 10 and 13 August in Geneva. The Committee subsequently released the findings of the review known as ‘concluding observations’ on 30 August.
The UN body working towards the elimination of racial discrimination worldwide has asked for additional information from the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), according to a document dated 13 June 2018.
The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (‘Committee’) that monitors implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (‘Convention’) conveyed a set of questions (‘List of Themes’) to the PRC after reviewing the PRC’s national report to the 96th session of the body. The PRC delegation will appear before the Committee on 10 and 13 August 2018 with the meeting being webcast live by the UN. The Committee is composed of 18 Experts as members including Ms. Li Yanduan, the current Ambassador of China to the Independent State of Samoa.