UPDATE
There have been reports in Tibetan media that hundreds of detainees were released in late March. These reports are based on local sources but have not been separately confirmed by Tibet Watch.
The reports add that at least two community leaders from Dege County remain in detention: Tenzin Sangpo, a senior administrator at Wontoe Monastery, and Tenzin, a village official. We continue to demand that all peaceful protesters are released.
Reports indicate that hundreds of Tibetans, possibly over 1,000 people and including monks, have been detained in Dege County.
This follows peaceful protests against the building of a massive dam that will displace thousands and destroy important heritage sites.
And the worrying situation is reaching a breaking point: newly obtained undercover footage shows the mass deployment of Chinese armed police to the area.
Use our simple tool to call on world leaders to demand China immediately and unconditionally release all detained Tibetans and halt the build-up of armed police.
Dear Honourable Minister,
We are writing to draw your urgent attention to China's ongoing crackdown in eastern Tibet that has seen the arrests of at least 1,000 peaceful protesters. We urge you to call on Chinese leaders to immediately and unconditionally release all those who’ve been detained.
This concerning situation has been ongoing since at least 14 February 2024 in Dege County in eastern Tibet. Plans by Chinese Communist Party authorities to construct a dam across the Drichu River have prompted rare public protests by the impacted community because this project will displace thousands of Tibetans and destroy several significant monasteries.
Local authorities have responded to these peaceful protests with brutal force, including beatings and mass arrests. At the time of writing, none of the 1,000 detained Tibetans, including monks from the affected monasteries, have been released and footage from 28 February shows the mass deployment of Chinese People’s Armed Police (PAP) in the area to enforce the crackdown.
This deeply troubling situation needs to be raised by your government as a matter of priority.
We urge you to:
- Call on Chinese authorities to immediately deescalate the PAP presence in the area; release all detained Tibetans and respect the human rights and freedoms of the peaceful protesters and to refrain from using violence and arbitrary detention;
- Seek urgent information and evidence concerning their detention;
- Remind China that detainees must be treated with respect and in accordance with international law and must not be subject to degrading or humiliating treatment and protected from torture or other ill-treatment. They must all be granted access to a lawyer of their choice and given any medical treatment they require.
The right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression are fundamental human rights that should be respected and protected.
We expect that a firm, decisive response from governments will help bring about the release of these Tibetans, who have been detained solely for exercising their rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.
Thank you for your urgent attention to this matter.
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