In a statement delivered under item 4 during the ongoing 55th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the European Union reiterated its concerns about the dire human rights situation in Tibet, spotlighting the forced assimilation of Tibetan children in Chinese state-run boarding schools and mass collection of DNA samples of Tibetans.
Furthermore, the EU highlighted the harassment, intimidation, surveillance including transnational repression faced by human rights defenders, lawyers, journalists, independent reporters, other media workers, academics, writers and intellectuals. The EU strongly condemned exit bans, house arrest, torture, ill-treatment, unlawful detention, sentencing, and enforced disappearance, including through Residential Surveillance in a Designated Location (RSDL) that could amount to torture and ill-treatment.
In its statement, The EU urged China to abide by its obligations under national law, including its own Constitution, and international law, to respect, protect and fulfil human rights for all, including Tibetans. The EU also emphasised the importance of respecting the rule of law and the principle of non-refoulement and refrain from any extraterritorial activity (including coercion) that is not in line with international law.
Additionally, the EU reaffirmed its commitment to closely monitoring the situation and called for the immediate and unconditional release of Chadrel Rinpoche, Anye Sengdra, Go Sherab Gyatso, Golog Palden, Tashi Dorje, Zangkar Jamyang and Semkyi Dolma among others.
Welcoming the EU’s statement expressing concern on the dire situation in Tibet, Representative Genkhang of the Office of Tibet, Brussels, expressed gratitude for adding Golog Palden, Semkyi Dolma, Zangkar Jamyang and especially Chadrel Rinpoche to the list of individual cases for the first time and calling for their immediate release.
It may be noted here that the aforementioned four political prisoners were part of a list of individual cases recently submitted by the Office of Tibet, Brussels.
The full statement can be read here
