Tibetan delegates to the UNHRC voice concerns about human rights in Tibet.
As the 58th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) approaches, Tibetan representatives have submitted a statement to the UN, voicing grave concerns over the Medog Dam construction and broader human rights abuses in Tibet.
Among the representatives was Namkyi, a former Tibetan political prisoner and activist who recently arrived in exile. Her testimony of imprisonment and repression was presented during closed-door meetings with representatives from 16 UN permanent missions, six special rapporteurs, and officials from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
According to Tibetan exil government run Tibet.net, several UN missions acknowledged China’s considerable influence while reaffirming the importance of upholding international law and human rights standards. Some countries pledged to raise the issue publicly, while others opted for diplomatic engagement behind the scenes.
Along with Namkyi, the lobbying delegation included Thinlay Chukki, representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama; Dukthen Kyi, advocacy officer, Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR); and Phuntsok Topgyal, UN advocacy officer in Geneva.
The Deligation arrived in Geneva on 9 February 2025 to participate in the Geneva Summit and a five-day advocacy campaign from 10 to 14 February. The campaign aimed to raise awareness of Tibet’s human rights situation through meetings with OHCHR officials, UN permanent missions, and special rapporteurs. Efforts were also made to engage smaller nations unfamiliar with the Tibet issue. While some representatives expressed reluctance to take a public stance due to geopolitical pressures, they indicated willingness to support Tibet through diplomatic channels.
During her testimony, Namkyi recounted the impact of China’s collective punishment practices. She described how, after her protest in Tibet, her family and community faced severe restrictions, including limited access to employment, education, and government welfare programs. She and her cousin, Tsering Kyi, fled Tibet last year after enduring increased scrutiny and repression by Chinese authorities.
Namkyi recalled her arrest on 21 October 2015, when she was just 15 years old. She and her sister, Tenzin Dolma, participated in a peaceful protest in Ngaba County, calling for Tibetan freedom and the Dalai Lama’s return. Chinese security forces detained them, subjected them to harsh interrogations, and forced them into political re-education sessions. In 2016, a Chinese court sentenced them to three years in prison for ‘inciting separatism,’ despite listing them as 18 years old to justify the sentencing. They were imprisoned in Sichuan Province Women’s Prison, where they endured forced labour and ideological indoctrination.
Upon their release in 2018, their family suffered prolonged restrictions, including obstacles in accessing government benefits and higher education. Namkyi’s brother, Gendun Phuntsok, was also sentenced to four years for participating in a similar protest. He was released in 2019 in poor health, suffering from injuries sustained in detention, with his medical expenses exceeding 10,000 yuan, which authorities refused to cover. Another detainee, Lobsang Kelsang, sentenced alongside him, faced severe health deterioration following extended solitary confinement.
Collective punishment remains a widespread practice in Tibet, with families and entire communities suffering repercussions for activism. A 2024 report by human rights group Safeguard Defenders documented numerous cases of such punitive measures being used to suppress dissent. Under international law, including Article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, arbitrary arrest and detention are prohibited, raising serious concerns over China’s compliance with global human rights standards.
Following the UN meetings, Namkyi, along with fellow advocates, travelled to Munich, Germany, for a Tibetan advocacy program hosted by Tibetan Initiative Deutschland.
The UN Human Rights Council, an intergovernmental body within the United Nations system responsible for promoting and protecting human rights worldwide, will convene from 24 February to 4 April 2025. Key topics on the 58th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council agenda include the protection of human rights defenders, freedom of religion, human rights in counterterrorism efforts, and access to food and housing. Additionally, the council will address pressing human rights concerns in countries such as Nicaragua, Venezuela, China, Syria, South Sudan, Iran, North Korea, Myanmar, Eritrea, and the occupied Palestinian territory/Israel.
