In a distressing development, Tibetan activist Tsering Tso faced her second detention in three years in Qinghai province, China, for criticizing the government on social media. The 39-year-old was subjected to “administrative detention” from October 26 to November 10, 2023, accused of spreading misinformation. This incident highlights growing concerns about freedom of expression and human rights in Tibet.
Tso underwent “administrative detention” in the Kyegudo (or Yushu in Chinese) city detention center. Sources of Radio Free Asia (RFA) has revealed in anonimity that she was accused of “falsely accusing the government and officials and spreading misinformation” through her personal TikTok account and other social media channels.
During her detention, Tso, who operates a travel company and organizes tours in various parts of the country, including Lhasa, was interrogated and beaten by at least a dozen policemen. Her mobile phone was broken, and she was forced to “reform her behavior.” The incident raises serious concerns about the curtailment of freedom of expression and the broader human rights situation in Tibet.
This is not the first time Tsering Tso has drawn the attention of Chinese authorities. In November 2020, she was taken into custody in the provincial capital Xining, held for ten days, and released under surveillance. RFA reported that Tso had called on Tibetan intellectuals and influencers inside Tibet through a video, to speak up against the Chinese government’s human rights abuses.
Tso’s activism extends to shedding light on the hardships faced by Tibetans, both in starting businesses and in their daily lives. In videos obtained by the Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democracy, she highlighted the challenges of obtaining a license for a small business and accused local leaders of corruption and misusing their power.
Her detention in 2023 came after she shared a video taken inside the Lhasa railway station in July, where she alleged discrimination against Tibetans by local Chinese authorities. Tso emphasized the violation of national laws and the discriminatory practices against ethnic groups.
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