China’s “Law on the Promotion of Ethnic Unity and Progress” came into effect on the 1st. On that day, exiled Tibetans and Uyghurs in Switzerland, along with several Swiss civil groups and scholars, held a demonstration in Zurich to protest the Chinese Communist Party’s transnational repression and publicly condemned the Beijing authorities for the longstanding violation of human rights of minorities in Tibet, Xinjiang, and other regions.
According to Central News Agency reports, Bhuchung, chairman of the Swiss-Tibetan Friendship Association (GSTF), one of the organizers, said in an interview that the Chinese Communist Party in recent years has continued to intensify its repression of the cultural, linguistic, and religious freedoms of Tibetans, Uyghurs, and other minorities. The purpose of the demonstration is to raise international awareness of the situation in Tibet and Xinjiang, as well as the issue of basic human rights violations there.
There are about 8,000 Tibetans in Switzerland
Bhuchung pointed out that there are currently about 8,000 Tibetans in Switzerland. Although the “Law on the Promotion of Ethnic Unity and Progress” is implemented under the name of “ethnic unity,” its real purpose is to use state power to promote a single Chinese national identity and further intensify total control over education, language, culture, and religion, seriously infringing on the rights of minorities. This assembly and march is part of the global Tibetan community’s day of action, and is connected to demonstrations and vigils in multiple countries.
In response to the Chinese Communist Party’s implementation of the “Law on the Promotion of Ethnic Unity and Progress,” the Swiss Federal Office of the State Secretariat for Security Policy (SEPOS) issued a statement saying that transnational repression has become a newly emerging security concern that Switzerland attaches great importance to. The government is studying ways to improve relevant agencies’ understanding of transnational repression, as well as strengthening education and training for front-line personnel in identifying and handling such cases.
The statement emphasized that the protection of minority groups and vulnerable populations is a core focus of Swiss human rights diplomacy, and these issues will continue to be directly raised in the bilateral human rights dialogue between Switzerland and China.