Human Rights Situation in Tibet did not Improve in 2015: TCHRD Annual Report/ENG

2016. február 21./CTA/TibetPress

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DHARAMSHALA: The Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), a prominent Tibetan rights group based in Dharamshala, released its 2015 annual report on Friday, 19 February 2016.

To download the report, click here

The annual report, available in Tibetan, English and Chinese, documented two prime developments, namely China’s attempt to include “legal justifications for repression” and the sinister effort of the Chinese government that “prioritised rhetoric over substance”.

Addressing a press conference to mark the launch of the annual report, Ms Tsering Tsomo, Director of TCHRD, said: “In 2015, China passed laws on national security and counter-terrorism that appear to do little but provide China with a convenient pretext to continue violating human rights. Moreover, China failed to implement any measures that contribute positively to the already degrading ecosystem which many experts say is “irreversible” by pursuing a policy of prioritising rhetoric over substance.”

TCHRD also condemned China’s continued violation of international law, which as a result, led more and more issues involving Tibet to become issues of international concern in the last year.

“Religious figures were targeted for disappearance, detention, and, sometimes, death. Local Chinese police also detained monks and laypeople, and in many cases, they used pretense to detain community leaders, who are frequently religious leaders,” a press release issued by TCHRD said.

It also added that 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.

It further drew attention towards the accelerating environmental destruction and climate change taking place in Tibet. “The rate of China’s use of coal as a fuel is more than the rest of the other countries using coal put together, yet the government during the COP 21 meet last year in Paris put forth resolutions for effective cutback of carbon emission only after 2030, until then they plan to look the other way,” Ms Tsering Tsomo pointed out.

The 194-page report encompasses detailed research material with chapters on religious freedom, rights to privacy and chilling effects, environment, civil and political rights and international community.

TCHRD is a non-governmental organisation based in Dharamshala. It works to promote and protect human rights of Tibetans in Tibet and to educate the exile Tibetans on human rights concept and democratic principles.