Tibetan woman detained, intimidated for ‘illegal’ WeChat posts
DHARAMSALA, 7 Dec: A Tibetan woman has been detained and intimidated for “illegal” WeChat posts by the Chinese authorities, Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), a rights group based in Dharamsala said Monday.
Tsering Tso, known for her courage and conviction in exercising human rights to call for “democracy and rule of law” in Tibet was “forcibly detained from her Xining home on the night of 12 November by 10 officers and taken to the Trikha (Ch: Guide) County detention centre, the TCHRD said
“TCHRD strongly condemns the detention and ill-treatment of Tsering Tso, a Tibetan woman known for her courage and conviction in exercising human rights to call for democracy and rule of law in Tibet,” the rights group said.
Citing a report on RFA Chinese, the TCHRD said that the Tibetan social activist was subsequently subjected to 10-day administrative detention from 13- 23 November and monetary fine of Yuan 1000.
Additionally, the report added that the authorities subjected her to ill-treatment and intimidation to make her give up on her vocal advocacy for democracy and rule of law.
TCHRD maintained that “Tso was unjustly detained” and that now she “remains under surveillance due to her fearless advocacy for the ideals she believes in.”
While Tso has been charged with causing “other provocative acts” as listed in Article 26 of the Public Order Administration Punishments Law (POAPL), TCHRD declared that the vague charges against Tso, often employed by the Chinese authorities is aimed at preserving the one-Party authoritarian system and neutralising any criticism or oppositions.
“Arbitrary arrests and detention are one of the pressing human rights issues that undermine the criminal justice system in China,” TCHRD added calling for the immediate cessation of charges against Tso.
In 2017, Tso was detained and brutally beaten by the Chinese authorities in Yushu after she campaigned/ advocated for the rights of local Tibetans to apply for passports in accordance with the law in Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture.
TCHRD further reported that Tso, an alumnus of the “International Visitor Leadership Program”, a professional exchange program initiated by the US State Department has been blacklisted as as “an individual who requires special attention” and that the local police held it against her “ideas and actions” by subjecting her to repetitive summons, warnings and threats.
