Dharamshala: The Department of Information and International Relations expresses serious concern over the continued rampant cases of enforced disappearances of Tibetans in Tibet and strongly condemns the Chinese government’s practice of torture and ill-treatment of Tibetans while in custody. Each year, the Chinese authorities arbitrarily arrest and subject to enforced disappearance, a number of Tibetans, including religious and community leaders, writers and musicians, and human rights and environmental activists, mainly for their expression of Tibetan national identity and opposing repressive policies. In most cases, they are subjected to enforced disappearances, which would often result in prison sentences on trumped-up charges, while many more continue to be unseen and unheard of.
The systematic practice of enforced disappearances at any time under any circumstances is a crime against humanity. The first Article of the United Nations(UN) Declaration on the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance stipulates any act of enforced disappearance constitutes a violation of the rules of international law guaranteeing, inter alia, the right to recognition as a person before the law, the right to liberty and security of the person and the right not to be subjected to torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. However, China, a member of the UN, consistently demonstrates complete disrespect for international human rights laws, protecting the rights of individuals, systematically disregarding global standards in its treatment of Tibetans and people of other nationalities under its oppression.
Among the most prominent enforced disappearance cases is the abduction of Tibet’s 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, one of the highest Tibetan Buddhist leaders. At just six years of age, China abducted the 11th Panchen Lama, along with his family and Chadrel Rinpoche in 1995. Despite repeated expression of concerns and intervention by various UN bodies till date, China has withheld credible information about his whereabouts or wellbeing for the last 29 years, making him one of the world’s longest-serving political prisoners.
Just this year, several Tibetans have “disappeared” after Chinese authorities arbitrarily detained them for various reasons, from staging peaceful protests to publishing books. These cases include the enforced disappearances of Phuntsok, Pema, Samten, Zomkyi, Tamdin, and Lobsang Thabkhey, whose fates continue to remain unknown. One prominent case in recent years is Gendun Lhundup’s arbitrary arrest in 2020. Even after more than three years since his arbitrary arrest, his whereabouts and well-being remain unknown to his family.
Enforced disappearance has an acute impact on the victim, but its paralyzing effects on the family members, who are left uninformed of the fate of their loved ones for extended periods of time, is horrid. Recently, news from Tibet reported the tragic death of Phude, a 53-year-old Tibetan mother of writer Tenzin Khenrab. Her 29-year-old son was arrested in 2023 for keeping a photo of His Holiness the Dalai Lama on his phone, along with several e-books. Despite her repeated attempts, the Chinese police refused to disclose any information about her son’s whereabouts. After suffering depression from worrying about her son’s well-being for over a year, mother Phude passed away earlier this year on 17 February.
The cases of Go Sherab Gyatso (serving ten years in prison) and Rinchen Tsultrim (reportedly released earlier this year) illustrate the Chinese authorities’ practices of withholding details about the arrest, detention, and sentencing of Tibetan individuals and releasing such information only when significant international pressure is exerted. After over a year after their disappearances, the Chinese authorities only confirmed their arrests in July 2021 in response to a letter from the United Nations human rights experts without providing further details.
As we observe the 41st International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances today, we call on the Chinese government to end the enforced disappearance of Tibetans and provide credible information of those whose fate and whereabouts are unknown. While condemning the PRC government’s “Residential Surveillance at Designated Location” law that enables Chinese police to detain individuals for up to six months without disclosure and torture and mistreat detainees with impunity, we call on China to sign and ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances as a significant step in ensuring the end to enforced disappearance.
We also urge international governments and organizations, including the United Nations, human rights organizations, rights activists, and supporters around the world, to continue to press China to disclose information about the Tibetans arbitrarily arrested and disappeared, including the 11th Panchen Lama case. Enforced disappearance constitutes a grave violation of international human rights standards, and China is obligated to ensure that enforced disappearances are thoroughly investigated and that it provides integral reparations for those who have been subjected to this inhuman and illegal act by international standards.
– Filed by the UN, EU, and the Human Rights Desk, Tibet Advocacy Section, DIIR