We are only three months into 2025, so much has happened for Tibet already!

Much of the happenings are part of the ongoing and increasing crackdown – imprisonments, deaths in custody, abuse at colonial boarding schools; the list goes on.

But last week, we saw that our joint, coordinated work pressing governments to hold China accountable for the atrocities are bearing fruit.

On 20 March 2025, 28 governments joined together to issue a strong statement at the United Nations Human Rights Council, raising the boarding schools, the damming of Tibetan rivers and the crackdown against Tibetan human rights defenders.

A further ten countries also issued individual statements, all condemning China’s human rights violations in Tibet.

The joint statement, by 28 European governments, expressed “very serious” concern about the human rights situation in Tibet and other places under the rule of the People’s Republic of China. The governments further urged Beijing to “abide by its obligations under national law, including its own Constitution, and international law, to respect, protect and fulfil the rule of law and human rights for all.”

On the situation in Tibet in particular, the joint statement has said, “the human rights situation in Tibet continues to be dire. Indicators of this include obligatory boarding schooling and the suppression of protests against hydropower projects. We are deeply concerned over reports that Tibetan schools teaching Tibetan language and culture have been shut down and that Chinese authorities have insisted that all students attend state schools where Tibetan is only taught as a stand-alone subject.”

The governments also called for the immediate and unconditional release of Tibetan human rights defenders, including Chadrel Rinpoche, Go Sherab Gyatso, Golog Palden, Semkyi Dolma, and Tashi Dorje.