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Suppression of dissent

Since the unrest and subsequent crackdown in Tibet in 2008, the Chinese authorities have adopted a harsher approach to suppressing dissent in order to uphold Tibet’s ‘security’ and ‘stability’ – political language to justify the repression of Tibetans for Chinese strategic and economic interests.

The government has established a comprehensive security architecture with new laws and regulations which by conflating any criticism or dissent with a threat to national security present serious danger to the fundamental rights of Tibetans. In a bid to control every aspect of Tibetan peoples’ public and private lives, surveillance has also been stepped-up – including the establishment of a neighbourhood grid surveillance system and new technologies that enable face-recognition and integration with big data analytics.

In this context, Tibetans who express concerns about Chinese policies in Tibet or even mild displays of their Tibetan identity continue to be detained, prosecuted and sentenced on the basis of vague and politically motivated charges, such as ‘subverting state power’ or ‘causing instability’. A prominent example is that of the Tibetan language advocate Tashi Wangchuk, who in May 2018 was sentenced to five years imprisonment on politically motivated charges of ‘inciting separatism’. His apparent ‘crime’ was a New York Times interview profiling his attempts to petition for the rights of Tibetans to speak and learn their own language at school – a right guaranteed by the Chinese Constitution. These political prisoners are particularly at risk of enforced disappearance, torture and ill treatment in custody.

Tashi Wangchuk (© New York Times)

Despite the huge risks they face, Tibetans courageously continue to peacefully claim their rights and call for the return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet. Although the number of self-immolations has decreased in recent years, partly as a result of the criminalization of those allegedly ‘associated’ with self-immolators, Tibetans resort to alternative forms of resistance, including filing petitions to the authorities and non-violent solo-protests.

Related news and resources

ICT calls for release of Tibetan monk sentenced to 10 years

December 14, 2021 ・ International Campaign for TibetNews

ICT calls for release of Tibetan monk sentenced to 10 years

The International Campaign for Tibet is alarmed by reports of the sentencing of the prominent Tibetan Buddhist monk and scholar Go Sherab Gyatso to 10 years’ imprisonment and calls on the Chinese government to respect his fundamental rights.

Olympics briefing paper: Tibet repression worse since Beijing 2008

November 18, 2021 ・ International Campaign for TibetNews

Olympics briefing paper: Tibet repression worse since Beijing 2008

A new briefing paper from the International Campaign for Tibet documents how the Chinese government has escalated its repression in Tibet since hosting the 2008 Olympics. China will host the Olympics again early next year.

Eastern Tibet: Wave of arrests over language rights, Dalai Lama images

September 20, 2021 ・ International Campaign for TibetNews

Eastern Tibet: Wave of arrests over language rights, Dalai Lama images

The International Campaign for Tibet is deeply concerned about reports of a wave of detentions in eastern Tibet. amid a crackdown on Tibetan language activism and possession of images of the Dalai Lama.

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The Tibet Brief

A newsletter providing concise information and perspectives on the political, economic and human rights situation in Tibet

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The International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) is an international NGO working to promote democratic freedoms for Tibetans, ensure their human rights and protect the Tibetan culture and environment.

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