Tibetans in Switzerland denounce China’s intimidation tactics
There are about 7,500 members of the Tibetan diaspora living in Switzerland. Larger communities exist in India and Nepal.
Keystone
The Tibetan diaspora community in Switzerland accuses the Chinese government of using repressive tactics in the Alpine nation.
This content was published on
3 minutes
swissinfo.ch/ds
Switzerland’s German-language weekly NZZ am Sonntag cited on Sunday a letterExternal link from the three most prominent Tibetan organisations to Swiss President Ueli Maurer.
“The Tibetan community in exile in Switzerland is increasingly being watched and systematically intimidated by the Chinese government,” the letter claims.
This intimidation is particularly evident at rallies, but control efforts are also increasingly manifest in the digital world.
“China’s self-confident and demanding behaviour is noticeable in relation to the Tibetan exile community in Switzerland, among other things,” says Isabelle Graber, aspokeswoman for the Swiss Federal Intelligence Service.External link
“Official receptions of the [Tibetan spiritual leader] Dalai Lama will no longer be tolerated by China in any way and will be punished retroactively with various measures,” she noted.
Last March, Defence Minister Viola Amherd, whose department includes the intelligence service, said “the surveillance of exiled communities in Switzerland violates Switzerland’s sovereignty and democratic values.”
There are some 7,500 members of the Tibetan diaspora living in Switzerland.
The NZZ am Sonntag report gave several examples of Tibetan groups coming under pressure from Beijing in Switzerland.
One involved the Chinese ambassador to Switzerland setting up a meeting with Swiss parliament at the exact same time it was supposed to receive Tibetan groups. The Tibetan event was scrapped.
Currently, between 15 and 25 Tibetans per month apply for asylum in Switzerland. Some of them hail from the Tibetan diaspora in India or Nepal rather than China.
Maurer visited China in April and signed a memorandum of understanding confirming Switzerland’s future participation in China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
Berset discusses ECHR climate ruling implementation at Davos
This content was published on
Switzerland has submitted a report on the court's ruling in Strasbourg. Berset told Justice Minister Beat Jans that the Council of Europe is reviewing it.
This content was published on
A 27-year-old ski tourer has died in the hospital in Sion, in southwestern Switzerland, after being caught in an avalanche on Saturday.
Swiss health minister criticises Trump’s ‘rash’ WHO exit
This content was published on
Switzerland has expressed “deep” regret over Trump’s decision to withdraw from the WHO, Swiss Health Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider said in Davos.
This content was published on
Job vacancies in Switzerland fell by 10% in 2024, marking the first negative annual balance since the Covid-19 pandemic, says Adecco.
Swiss president meets Zelensky in Davos amid tensions with Europe
This content was published on
Swiss President met Zelensky at Davos. As Zelensky thanked Switzerland, Keller-Sutter said it's too early to discuss a new summit, awaiting Trump's actions.
Basel diocese files five claims of sexual abuse in Swiss Catholic Church
This content was published on
The diocese of Basel has received 141 reports of sexual abuse since the publication of a sweeping study on violations in the Catholic Church by the University of Zurich in 2023.
Swiss president calls for open markets and stable institutions in WEF speech
This content was published on
Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter was among speakers at the WEF in Davos to make the case for fair competition, a day after Donald Trump became the 47th president of the United States.
Swiss film in competition at the 75th Berlinale has a shot at Golden Bear
This content was published on
The feature film La Cache by Lausanne screenwriter and director Lionel Baier has a chance of winning the Silver or Golden Bear at the 75th Berlinale, festival organisers said on Tuesday.
Swiss politician who shot at image of Jesus resigns from Liberal Green Party
This content was published on
Sanija Ameti, who caused controversy after shooting at an image of Jesus and Mary last September, has resigned from the Liberal Green Party.
Swiss campaigners gather enough signatures to submit ‘responsible business’ initiative
This content was published on
The Swiss people are set to vote again on the corporate responsibility of multinationals after campaigners collected 183,661 signatures in 14 days for their new 'responsible business' initiative.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Dalai Lama will not meet officials during Swiss visit
This content was published on
The Dalai Lama is visiting Switzerland on a four-day trip beginning on Friday to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Tibet Institute near Zurich.
This content was published on
We dug into our archives to gather voices from Switzerland about the bloody crackdown on democracy protests in China 30 years ago.
Chinese firms stole sensitive data from Swiss-based competitor
This content was published on
The news comes days after the Swiss Federal Intelligence Service had highlighted the ongoing threat of Chinese espionage in its annual report on the risks facing Switzerland. The SonntagsZeitungExternal link reports that the victim of this case was a Swiss subsidiary of the Dutch company BesiExternal link, which manufactures machines that make computer chips. The perpetrators…
This content was published on
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has warned Switzerland about closer ties with China, telling the country to "keep its eyes wide open”.
China blasts Swiss-signed letter criticising Xinjiang policies
This content was published on
China has attacked a statement by 22 Western countries, including Switzerland, urging it to stop detaining members of its Muslim population.
Swiss president defends controversial Chinese project
This content was published on
Ueli Maurer says it’s important for Switzerland to take part in the Belt and Road summit and bring its own values to the table.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.