Dharamshala — Addressing the opening of the 63rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, on September 7, 2026, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk expressed deep concern over the deteriorating human rights situation in Tibet, particularly restrictions affecting the Tibetan people’s freedom of religion.
UN Human Rights chief said, 'China is tightening restrictions on the rights of the Tibetan people, including their freedom of religion, are deeply troubling. I appeal for an urgent U-turn on these policies.'
The UN Human Rights chief said, "We live in an age of extremes. Raging wars, painful polarization, climate chaos, and head-spinning technological change make people feel disoriented and even powerless."
Regarding the protection of people against disasters such as the recent glacier collapse in Nepal and Tibet border, he stated: "We must keep our focus on limiting global warming to 1.5°C, as set out in the Paris Agreement, by ensuring the current overshoot is as small and short as possible."
"What drives us is the belief that human rights will help the people of all our societies to realise their hopes and aspirations, in the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which affirmed that everyone, everywhere is born free and equal in dignity and rights," the UN Human Rights chief said.
Office of Tibet, Geneva stated, "the statement is particularly significant as concerns continue to grow over restrictions on the exercise of religious and cultural rights in Tibet. The High Commissioner’s call underscores the importance of respecting fundamental human rights and ensuring that Tibetans are able to exercise their rights and freedoms without undue restrictions."
The Tibet Bureau, Geneva, welcomes the explicit attention given to the human rights situation in Tibet and reiterates the importance of sustained international engagement on the protection of Tibetan religious, cultural and fundamental rights. "The Bureau will continue to engage with UN mechanisms, diplomatic missions and international partners to ensure that developments in Tibet remain part of the international human rights discourse," they said.
On April 16, 2026, United Nations special rapporteurs expressed serious concerns regarding the “Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress” adopted by the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
The United Nations special rapporteurs said, “We observe that the Law could unduly restrict the right to freedom of expression. Article 10 limits engagement on issues related to ethnic unity and progress by prohibiting perceived “foreign forces” from interfering, and it suggests that human rights cannot be invoked to challenge China’s efforts in this regard. We observe a risk that any human rights-based analysis of the Law could be negatively framed and mischaracterized as foreign interference."
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk also said at the 62nd session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 15, 2026, "We face very serious human rights challenges. An unprecedented, shameless onslaught against international law is causing appalling human suffering. We must call it out, every time and everywhere, and work to contain and end it."
"I am very concerned about China’s counterterrorism and assimilation policies, particularly as they affect minorities in the Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia and Tibetan regions. The new law on ethnic unity risks deepening restrictions on freedoms of language, education, practice of religion, culture, expression and assembly; and penalizing the peaceful exercise of minority rights in general. I call for the law to be repealed and for these practices to end," said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
