Geneva [Switzerland], March 23 : The ongoing human rights violations in Tibet have drawn significant international condemnation, with 28 European countries raising serious concerns during the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, as reported by Tibet.net.
This joint statement, delivered by Miroslaw Broilo, the Permanent Representative of Poland to the UN Office in Geneva, marked a unified stance from a broad coalition of European nations against China's continued suppression of human rights, particularly in Tibet and Xinjiang, Tibet.net reported.
The European nations involved in the statement included Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.
According to Tibet.net, these countries emphasized their deep concern regarding the deteriorating human rights situation in Tibet, especially focusing on the Chinese government's systematic repression of cultural, religious, and political freedoms.
The joint statement condemned the "very serious human rights situation in China" and called on the Chinese government to fulfill its international obligations to respect and protect human rights. The European countries specifically highlighted troubling developments in Tibet, including the forced boarding school system and the clampdown on protests against hydropower projects that impact Tibet's environment. They expressed alarm over reports of the closure of Tibetan language and culture schools, forcing students into state-run institutions where Tibetan is taught as a secondary subject rather than as a medium of instruction, as cited by Tibet.net.
In his oral statement, Miroslaw Broilo noted, "We are concerned about the situation in China, in particular in Tibet and Xinjiang (East Turkistan) and the treatment of Human Rights defenders, lawyers and Journalists. China must refrain from Transnational Repression."
According to Tibet.net, in addition to the joint statement, several countries, including the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Japan, Lithuania, Netherlands, and Switzerland, delivered individual oral statements during the general debate, further underscoring their concerns about the situation in Tibet. These countries have expressed continued solidarity with the Tibetan people and called for increased international pressure on China to halt its repressive actions in the region.
Tibet.net reported that Thinlay Chukki, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration at the Tibet Bureau-Geneva, praised the European nations for their unwavering support.
"We thank each of the 28 European countries for their joint statement and other member states for their individual statements highlighting the critical situation in Tibet," said Chukki. "We urge the Chinese government to heed the calls of these many countries to stop the suppression of the Tibetan people and to unconditionally release all Tibetan human rights defenders. It is of utmost importance that the Chinese government allows free and open access to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Special Procedure Mandate Holders to Tibet."
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