International Tibet Network Members are today joining the commemoration of the 34th anniversary of the 4 June Tiananmen Square Massacre when the Chinese People’s Liberation Army opened fire on tens of thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators killing untold numbers of peaceful protesters and bystanders. 

In the weeks leading up to 4 June students, democracy activists, and workers had peacefully gathered in Tiananmen Square, and other Chinese cities, protesting against the ruling Party, calling for freedom of expression, accountability, and democracy.

We will always remember this catastrophic event and the bravery of all those who took part in the freedom protests of 1989.

As in previous years, authorities have been on high alert ahead of the anniversary to preempt commemorations of the massacre. Freedom is curtailed for anyone deemed a dissident or with links to the Tiananmen Square Massacre including members of Tiananmen Mothers, a group of relatives of Tiananmen Massacre victims. In March 2023, three Hong Kong pro-democracy activists who were also Tiananmen vigil organisers were convicted under the national security law.

Despite the consistent crackdowns from the Chinese regime against any form of dissidence, resistance to the Party’s increasingly repressive measures and calls for change both within Chinese borders and in occupied territories persist. Following an apartment fire that killed 10 people in Ürümchi, November 2022 saw a widespread outpouring of public dissent in many Chinese cities that came to be known as the White Paper Revolution.

In the past two years, world governments have become increasingly robust in the actions taken against China’s human rights abuses. The UN OHCHR released a long-awaited report in August 2022 detailing an assessment of human rights concerns in East Turkistan (CH: Xinjiang), including a statement that says the Chinese government has committed abuses against Uyghurs and other Turkic communities that may amount to crimes against humanity. But more needs to be done to ensure the international community response matches the courage and conviction of those who resist China from within.

Three decades on from the Tiananmen Massacre the human rights situation for all who live under China’s rule has hit an all-time low and repression across all regions and occupied territories. The situation in illegally occupied Tibet has deteriorated dramatically over the past decade and in 2023, it was listed as one of the least free countries in the world, alongside Syria and South Sudan. At least two million Uyghur, Kazakh, and Uzbek Muslims are currently incarcerated in “re-education camps” undergoing systematic torture, rape, and political re-education. In Hong Kong, the Chinese government has implemented a draconian National Security Bill that is being used to criminalise protest and even mild criticism of the Chinese government. Protests by Southern Mongolians, who are seeing their language and culture being eradicated, are put down with force.

We pay tribute to the enduring courage of those who continue to resist China’s draconian rule and we urge the international community to show not only that it will never forget the atrocities of the past, but that it will stand up against the flagrant disregard for fundamental human rights. We call on governments to join together to call on China to;

  • Respect the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly, and cease the harassment and arbitrary detention of individuals who challenge the official account of June 4;
  • Allow immediate and unfettered independent access to China, Tibet and Uyghur areas by independent international human rights experts, including the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and relevant UN Special Rapporteurs; 
  • End the abuse of national security legislation as a means of criminalising the work of human rights defenders, freedoms of expression, association, religion or belief and subverting due process, and call on China to seek assistance from UN experts to this end/achieve this. 
  • Immediately release all individuals subjected to unlawful and unjustified deprivation of liberty. 

Supported by the following 121 Tibet Network Member Groups:

Aide aux Refugies Tibetains
Alaskans for Tibet
Amigos de Tibet, Colombia
Amigos de Tibet, La Unión Chile
Amigos del Tibet, El Salvador
Amigos del Tibet, Santiago de Chile
Anterrashtriya Bharat – Tibbet Sahyog Samiti
Asociación Cultural Peruano Tibetana
Asociación Cultural Tibetano Costarricense
Association Cognizance Tibet, North Carolina
Association Drôme Ardèche-Tibet
Associazione Italia-Tibet
Australia Tibet Council
Bay Area Friends of Tibet
Bharrat Tibbat Sahyog Manch (BTSM)
Bharrat Tibbat Samvad Manch, India
Boston Tibet Network
Briancon05 Urgence Tibet
Canada Tibet Committee
Casa del Tibet – Spain
Casa Tibet México
Centro Cultural Columbo Tibetano
Centro De Cultura Tibetana, Brazil
Centro para la Apertura y el Desarrollo de América Latina
Circle of Friends (Philippines)
Comite de Apoyo al Tibet (CAT)
Committee of 100 for Tibet
Core Group for Tibetan Cause, India
Czechs Support Tibet
Dream for Children, Japan
EcoTibet Ireland
Foundation for Universal Responsibility of H. H. the Dalai Lama
France-Tibet
Free Indo-Pacific Alliance
Free Tibet
Free Tibet Fukuoka
Friends of Tibet in Bulgaria
Friends of Tibet in Finland
Friends of Tibet New Zealand
Grupo de Apoio ao Tibete, Portugal
Gu-Chu-Sum Movement of Tibet
Human Rights Network for Tibet & Taiwan
India Tibet Friendship Society
International Tibet Independence Movement
Israeli Friends of the Tibetan People
Japan Association of Monks for Tibet (Super Sangha)
Le Club Français, Paraguay
Les Amis du Tibet Luxembourg
Liberté au Tibet (Colmar, France)
Lions Des Neiges Mont Blanc, France
LUNGTA – Actief voor Tibet
Maison des Himalayas
Maison du Tibet – Tibet Info
National Campaign for Free Tibet Support, India
National Democratic Party of Tibet
Objectif Tibet
Passeport Tibetain
Phagma Drolma-Arya Tara
RangZen:Movimento Tibete Livre, Brasil
RBA Réseau Bouddhisme et Action, France
Roof of the World Foundation, Indonesia
Sakya Trinley Ling
Santa Barbara Friends of Tibet
Save Tibet Foundation
Save Tibet, Austria
SFT Japan
SFT-India
Sierra Friends of Tibet
Students for a Free Tibet
Students for a Free Tibet – Canada
Students for a Free Tibet – France
Students for a Free Tibet – UK
Students for a Free Tibet Denmark
Swedish Tibet Committee
Swiss Tibetan Friendship Association (GSTF)
Taiwan Friends of Tibet
Tashi Delek Bordeaux
The Norwegian Tibet Committee
The Youth Liberation Front of Tibet, Mongolia and Turkestan
Tibet Action Group of Western Australia
Tibet Action Institute
Tibet cesky (Tibet in Czech)
Tibet Group, Panama
Tibet Initiative Deutschland
Tibet Justice Center
Tibet Lives, India
Tíbet Patria Libre, Uruguay
Tibet Society of South Africa
Tibet Support Association Hungary
Tibet Support Committee Denmark
Tibet Support Group – Netherlands
Tibet Support Group Adelaide – Australia
Tibet Support Group Ireland
Tibet Support Group Kenya
Tibet Support Group Kiku, Japan
Tibet Support Group, Costa Rica
Tibetan Association of Germany
Tibetan Association of Ithaca
Tibetan Association of Northern California
Tibetan Association of Philadelphia
Tibetan Community Austria
Tibetan Community in Britain
Tibetan Community in Denmark
Tibetan Community in France
Tibetan Community in Ireland
Tibetan Community in Japan
Tibetan Community of Australia (Victoria)
Tibetan Community of Italy
Tibetan Community Sweden
Tibetan Cultural Association – Quebec
Tibetan Programme of The Other Space Foundation
Tibetan Women’s Association (Central)
Tibetan Youth Association in Europe
Tibetans of Mixed Heritage
Tibetisches Zentrum Hamburg
TIBETmichigan
TSG – Slovenia
U.S. Tibet Committee
United Nations for a Free Tibet (UNFFT)
Voces de Tibet, México
World League for Freedom and Democracy