After the recent imposition of sanctions on the Canada Tibet Committee (CTC), Sikyong (president) of Tibetan government-in-exile Penpa Tsering has accused China of targeting Tibetan voices in free societies.
The People’s Republic of China (PRC) recently imposed sanctions on the CTC, the Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project and 20 human rights campaigners. The move drew sharp criticism from the Tibetan exile government and the Canadian government. The measures include asset freezes and bans on entry.
“China’s sanctions against the CTC constitute a blatant and alarming escalation of its transnational repression, targeting Tibetan voices in free societies. Such coercive measures against a Tibetan advocacy group exemplify a broader and more aggressive pattern of intimidation aimed at threatening fundamental freedoms and democratic principles beyond its borders,” Penpa Tsering stated in a post on X.
“As his Holiness the Dalai Lama has consistently asserted, standing with Tibet is standing up for universal values of Justice and freedom. May these sanctions serve only to strengthen the CTC’s resolve to persist in their vital work defending human rights and truth,” he said.
Earlier, the Dharamshala-based Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) had also condemned the move. “This action exemplifies the height of absurdity, given the CTC’s long-standing efforts for promoting dialogue to resolve the Sino-Tibetan conflict. These sanctions expose the ongoing human rights violations inside Tibet,” stated CTA spokesperson Tenzin Lekshay.
