UN hears cases of human rights abuses in Tibet

The issues of human rights violations in Tibet were raised at the 11th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council on human rights violations taking place around the world.

During the three-week session which has begun 2 June in Geneva, several UN Special mandates holders will present their reports, including cases of rights violations submitted by victims in their respective countries.

Mr. Tenzin Samphel Kayta on behalf of Society for Threatened Peoples, during an interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Independence of Judges and Lawyers, said “we remain deeply concerned about the fate of Chinese HIV/AIDS activist, Hu Jia and call for his immediate release.  Furthermore, it is disturbing to note that two Chinese lawyers, Teng Biao and Jiang Tianyong, have not granted renewal of their licenses after declaring publicly their willingness to defend Tibetans detained after the 2008 Uprising on the Tibetan Plateau.”
Mr Kayta also highlighted the recent publication of a fact-finding report by Beijing-based Chinese lawyers’ organization and think-tank called Gongmeng (Open Constitution Initiative), which challenges the official position that the Dalai Lama “incited” the protests last year. The report also concluded that China’s strategies to ensure ‘stability’ in Tibet have failed, and that China’s propaganda offensive has created divisions and further exacerbated tensions.
He drew attention of the Special Rapporteur over China’s unaccountability to the fate of those Tibetans who had disappeared and under arbitrary detentions since last year, including the well-being of two Tibetans who were harshly detained during a protest in Lithang on 15 and 16 February this year. Read Article