The Human Rights Situation in Tibet Raised by Countries at the 49th Session of the UN Human Rights Council

24.03.2022

Mandakini Jathavethan

Tibet and Human Rights Researcher,

Global Human Rights Defence.

Several UN member-states raised the abject treatment of China-ruled Tibetans at the ongoing 49th UN Human Rights Council session. These included the delegates from the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, the Kingdom of Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Speaking under the agenda item number four, titled “human rights situation which requires the Council’s attention”, they called upon China to respect the fundamental rights of Tibetans. Further, the United States, Finland, Australia, Norway, and Ireland asked China to respect the rights of ethnic minorities. 

According to the United Kingdom, “the situation in Tibet remains of deep international concern, including new reports of boarding schools being used to further erode cultural, linguistic and religious identity” (Central Tibetan Administration, 2022). Sweden expressed concern on human rights violations by China, that targeted “persons belonging to minorities, human rights defenders, media workers and others exercising their freedom of expression” (Central Tibetan Administration, 2022). Netherlands spoke of the serious curtailment in civic freedoms in Tibet.

The Czech Republic raised the issue of stringent curtailment of the Tibetans’ rights to freedom of movement, expression, religion, and belief in China. It called for the release of all human rights defenders, journalists and lawyers who had been arbitrarily detained simply for the exercise of their fundamental rights. 

Switzerland was concerned about the “lack of progress” in the human rights situation in Tibet and East Turkmenistan. Along with Germany, Denmark, and France, it urged China to grant complete, free, and unfettered access to the High Commissioner, Michelle Bachelet, on her mission to China to assess the human rights situation. Till now, only Xinjiang where Uyghurs are resident, has made it to Bachelet’s agenda. 

Sources and further reading:

Central Tibetan Administration. (2022, March 23). 49th UNHRC Session: UN Member States Call China to Respect Rights in Tibet. https://tibet.net/49th-unhrc-session-un-member-states-call-china-to-respect-rights-in-tibet/ 

Tibetan Review. (2022, March 23). Concern over situation in Tibet raised by several countries at UN rights council. https://www.tibetanreview.net/concern-over-situation-in-tibet-raised-by-several-countries-at-un-rights-council/