On UN Torture Victims Day, TCHRD Says: Systematic Torture Continues in Tibet Despite China’s Claims
DHARAMSALA, 26 June: On the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) stated that “Torture in Tibet is not just a method of punishment; it is a deliberate approach to undermine Tibetan identity, silence dissent, and instil fear across society.”
The UN General Assembly passed Resolution 52/149 on 12 December 1997, proclaiming 26 June as ‘the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture’ that aims for the total eradication of torture and the effective implementation of the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which entered into force on 26 June 1987.
Expressing solidarity with the victims of torture, the Tibetan advocacy group based in Dharamsala said, “TCHRD honours the enduring courage of Tibetan political prisoners, environmental defenders, and human rights advocates who have suffered torture and inhumane treatment under the Chinese government’s oppressive policies in Tibet.”
“On this International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, we stand in solidarity with the Tibetan lives scarred by state endorsed cruelty and call for justice, truth and international action,” TCHRD stated.
The centre argues that while China submitted its long-overdue UN torture report in February 2025, highlighting legal reforms and over 3,000 standardised detention centres, the report ignores Tibet, and that the systematic torture continues unabated despite China’s claimed safeguards.
Contradicting China’s official claims of reform, TCHRD noted that Tibetan detainees continue to face incommunicado detention, coerced confessions, denial of legal counsel, and closed trials on vague security charges.
The rights group continues to document China’s severe rights violations in Tibet and highlighted the custodial death of prominent Tibetan figures like Tulku Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, Lhamo, and most recently, Tulku HungkarDorjee Rinpoche.
The deaths in custody are “stark reminders of the impunity that prevails,” TCHRD said and added that the victims, all detained by the Chinese authorities for nonviolent activities such as community leadership, religious expression, and language preservation, were all subjected to torture and mistreatment that ultimately led to their untimely deaths.
TCHRD concluded that “torture is a grave crime under international law” and declared “the Chinese government’s failure to address torture in Tibet not only violates its treaty obligations but also reveals the depth of systemic repression faced by the Tibetan people.”
