China ignoring human rights in Tibet: UK annual rights report News
China ignoring human rights in Tibet: UK annual rights report

[JURIST] China is denying human rights, including basic religious freedom, to Tibetans, according to an annual report [PDF text, FCO backgrounder] released Tuesday by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office [official website]. The report found:

Violations of human rights continue in Tibet. We regularly raise our concerns, including individual cases…We continue to make clear our view that the best way to improve the situation in Tibet is through meaningful dialogue between the Chinese government and the Dalai Lama and his representatives, without preconditions, to achieve a long-term peaceful solution acceptable to the people of Tibet.

In a speech to mark the report's release, UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband said that the UK would push for greater human rights in China [speech text]. China has said that it will not engage in dialogue with the Dalai Lama until he stops encouraging "separatist activities" [JURIST report].

The UK FCO reports are issued annually as an assessment of the human rights situation in nations of concern. Tuesday's report also criticized Russia [JURIST news archive] for clamping down on opposition politicians and failing to protect journalists, including two killed last week [JURIST report]. AP has more.