China denies Swiss accusations of targeting Uyghur, Tibetan diaspora

A recent study suggests Tibetans, Uyghurs in Switzerland face surveillance and cyberattacks initiated by Beijing.

A staff member prepares the flags prior to the arrival of Swiss President Viola Amherd and the Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of China, Li Qiang, in Kehrsatz near Bern, Switzerland, Jan. 15, 2024.

TAIPEI, Taiwan – China dismissed a report alleging that it pressures Tibetans and Uyghurs in Switzerland to spy on their communities, calling it “misleading information.”

The Swiss government released a report on Wednesday suggesting that China is pressuring Tibetans and Uyghurs in the European country to spy on each other while systematically monitoring politically active people.

China rejected the report, which was based on a study conducted by the University of Basel, saying that Tibet and Xinjiang affairs were “purely China’s internal matters.”

“Politicizing Tibet- and Xinjiang-related issues to smear and discredit China is inconsistent with the facts and runs counter to the fundamental principle of mutual respect in China-Switzerland relations,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told journalists at a press conference on Thursday.

The report, based on a study sponsored by Switzerland’s Federal Office of Justice and the State Secretariat for Migration, found that Tibetan and Uyghur dissidents in Switzerland are often subjected to cyberattacks and surveillance of communications. Individuals were often followed, photographed and filmed by fellow members of their communities, the researchers said in the report.

“Such activities may also potentially affect Swiss citizens who are politically engaged in this area,” they added.

Gene Bunin, the founder of the Xinjiang Victim Database, told Radio Free Asia that there have been documented cases of Uyghurs working with Chinese security officials in exchange for favors or the safety of their relatives.

“I mean, distrust in Uyghur diaspora is very common,” he said.

Separately, Shane Yi, a researcher with the nongovernmental organization Chinese Human Rights Defenders, said that when it comes to transnational repression, China deployed a range of tactics.

“They often intersect with other forms of repression, including enforced disappearances and collective punishment, creating a climate of fear even for those who have sought refuge abroad,” she told RFA.

Tibet and Xinjiang are politically sensitive regions under Chinese control, with long-running disputes over human rights and autonomy. China says it has modernized and stabilized these areas, while critics accuse it of suppressing Tibetan culture and committing human rights abuses against members of the mostly Muslim Uyghur community in Xinjiang.

Allegations of forced labor, religious repression, and mass detentions have led to international condemnation, but Beijing denies wrongdoing, framing its actions as efforts to combat extremism and promote development.

Kelsang Gyaltsen Bawa, a representative of the Tibet Office in Taiwan, welcomed the report, saying that it was a positive thing that China’s transnational repression of pro-democracy activists abroad has drawn attention from democratic nations worldwide.

“Transnational repression has deeply infiltrated Tibetan organizations, as many still have family members in Tibet,” he said. “These families face arrests, detention, and even harassment by Chinese authorities, which discourages participation in activism.”

“As a result, the number of attendees at such events has dwindled, with some now resorting to wearing hats to conceal their identities.”

The Swiss report also pointed out that China was not the only country monitoring overseas diaspora communities. According to findings, Russia, Iran, and Turkey were also among the perpetrators.

The report’s authors stressed the need to clarify responsibilities, enhance communication and assess the effectiveness of tools and resources for addressing transnational repression.

“All federal, cantonal, and municipal offices that may encounter transnational repression should be made aware of these activities so they can identify and respond to them appropriately,” they said.