China arrests Tibetans even for phone, Internet-related offences: US rights group
Tibetan activists have alleged that the Chinese authorities have arrested many of their fellow countrymen since 2021 for phone and Internet-related offences, according to a new report released on Sunday by the US-based group, Human Rights Watch.
The Human Rights Watch has documented more than 60 cases where Tibetans were detained for having prohibited content on their phones or for contacting people outside China, including relatives. The actual number is likely to be higher, as the Chinese authorities do not disclose the official data for political offences.
“For Tibetans, simply using mobile phones has become dangerous and everyday activities like posting a humorous video or contacting loved ones abroad can lead to arrest, detention and torture,” said Maya Wang, associate China director at the Human Rights Watch.
The crackdown is related to increased government surveillance, including mass phone searches and mandatory installation of phone apps with built-in surveillance capabilities, along with tightened regulations on data and religion, the Tibetan activists said.
Sources said that the report cited one case where a man was arrested for creating a WeChat group to celebrate the birthdays of 80-year-old Buddhist monks, while the police claimed that it was illegal to form such a chat group without permission. Others had been arrested for promoting Tibetan language and opposing Chinese language policies in schools.
In a particular case reported by Tibetan media in-exile, a 38-year-old monk named Losel from Lhasa’s Sera Monastery had died in May 2024 after he was beaten while in custody. He was arrested for allegedly “collecting and sending information abroad”.
The Chinese authorities had also closed Tibetan-language websites since 2020, including the popular Luktsang Palyon blog, in April 2024. A Tibetan webmaster, Bumpa Gyal, was sentenced to seven years in jail in 2022 for providing technical support to Tibetan cultural websites, the activists alleged.
The rights group has called on the Chinese government to respect Tibetans rights to privacy, freedom of expression and religion and to allow independent monitors access to the region. “Tibetans have not only lost their right to freely express themselves and access information, but are also losing even their basic right to communicate with their loved ones,” Wang said.
