HRW criticises China for policies on Tibet

Dharamsala, February 4, 2013: A prominent human rights organisation, `The Human Rights Watch’ (HRW) has criticised the Chinese government for carrying out widespread secret arrests and torture of Tibetans in custody and authoritarian control over all judicial institutions.

HRW in its World Report 2013 said that China’s policies threatening the Tibetan people’s socio-economic conditions and religious freedom. This was disclosed in Dharamsala on Monday by the Official of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA).

Quoting the report, it said, “China’s repressive measures in Tibet continued after its massive crackdown on popular protests that shook the region in 2008.”

The report further said, “Chinese security forces maintain a heavy presence and the authorities continue to tightly restrict access and travel to Tibetan areas, particularly for journalists and foreign visitors,” it said.

“Tibetans suspected of being critical of political, religious, cultural, or economic state policies are systematically targeted on charges of “separatism”,” it said.

“Chinese people had no say in the selection of their new leaders, highlighting that despite the country’s three decades of rapid modernisation, the government remains an authoritarian one-party system that places arbitrary curbs on freedom of expression, association, religion, prohibits independent labour unions and human rights organisations, and maintains party control over all judicial institutions,” it said.