Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, March 24: A coalition of 28 European nations has expressed deep concern over the worsening human rights situation in Tibet during the ongoing 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva.
The joint statement, delivered on Thursday by Miroslaw Broilo, Poland’s Permanent Representative to the UN Office in Geneva, highlighted human rights violations in Tibet and Xinjiang (East Turkestan) while urging China to cease transnational repression.
The statement was endorsed by Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.
“We are concerned about the situation in China, particularly in Tibet and Xinjiang, and the treatment of human rights defenders, lawyers, and journalists. China must refrain from transnational repression,” Broilo stated in his address. In their written submission, the 28 nations urged China to uphold its commitments under both national and international law, ensuring the protection of fundamental human rights.
Addressing the deteriorating conditions in Tibet, the statement underscored alarming trends such as mandatory boarding schools, suppression of protests against hydropower projects, and the forced closure of Tibetan schools that teach the Tibetan language and culture. The nations expressed grave concern that Tibetan students are increasingly being funneled into state-run schools where their language is relegated to a secondary subject.
The joint appeal also called for the immediate and unconditional release of imprisoned Tibetan, Uighur, and Chinese human rights defenders, including Chadrel Rinpoche, Go Sherab Gyatso, Golog Palden, Semkyi Dolma, and Tashi Dorje. Additionally, the countries urged Beijing to grant unrestricted access to Tibet for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and special mandate holders.
Beyond the joint statement, individual nations—including the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Japan, Lithuania, Netherlands, and Switzerland—voiced their concerns over China’s rights abuses in Tibet during the general debate.
Thinlay Chukki, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration at the Tibet Bureau-Geneva, welcomed the strong stance taken by the European countries. “We thank each of the 28 European Countries for their joint statement and other member states for their individual statements highlighting the critical situation in Tibet,” she remarked. She further urged China to heed these calls, end its repression of Tibetans, and allow independent international access to the region, stating, “We urge the Chinese government to heed the calls of these many countries to stop the suppression of the Tibetan people, to unconditionally release all the Tibetan human rights defenders. It is of utmost importance that the Chinese government allows free and open access to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Special Procedure Mandate Holders to Tibet.”
