Switzerland is often considered the human rights capital of the world due to the presence of numerous international organisations. However, for Uyghurs and Tibetans living in the country, who still feel they can’t escape China’s surveillance, intimidation and threats, it’s also seen as a place where they often confront their cross-border oppressors.
“We are aware that we are subjected to surveillance, especially on the internet,” Arya Amipa, co-president of the Tibetan Youth Association in Europe, who lives in Switzerland, told SWI swissinfo.ch. “We keep receiving suspicious emails asking us to send confidential data, such as renewing our email passwords, from what at first glance appears to be our email provider. It’s only when you look closer that you notice the email address changes when you hover over it.”
Amipa believes that the Chinese government is behind these phishing operations with targets in the Tibetan diaspora communities. So “we have to protect ourselves by using end-to-end encrypted messengers, two-factor identification, and VPN clients”, even when communicating with others in Switzerland.
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A recently released report, “Situation of Tibetans and Uyghurs in Switzerland”, based on the findings of a University of Basel study commissioned by the Swiss government. This details extensive surveillance and pressure tactics by Chinese authorities against Tibetan and Uyghur individuals residing in Switzerland.
The research report [commissioned by the Swiss government and published by the Swiss University of Basel] concluded that it’s “highly probable” that members of the Tibetan and Uyghur communities in Switzerland are “systematically monitored, threatened, and co-opted by actors from China”. The Swiss government added that “the extent and intensity of the forms of pressure identified in this research report are more likely to be underreported than overreported”. This is partly because the perpetrators often operate in the shadows and the targets fear reprisals if they speak out about their experiences.
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China’s transnational repression has become a hot topic over the past year, but the phenomenon is not new. Some Western governments have taken steps in recent years to address the issue more meaningfully.
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The World Uyghur Congress confirms that Uyghurs face increasing levels of transnational repression abroad through surveillance technologies including WeChat and the Integrated Joint Operations Platform (IJOP), a policing program based on big data analytics in Xinjiang, harassment through video and phone calls, malware, spyware, hacking and espionage. But “we are not aware of any resources or tools available to address this issue within the Swiss context” it [said].
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Some 8,000 Tibetans are estimated to live in Switzerland, making it one of the largest Tibetan exile communities outside India. The Uyghur community, however, is in the double or low triple digits. Both communities have awaited the Swiss report for years.
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Switzerland followed a “change through trade” approach regarding China for decades. That means Switzerland believed that trade would bring about positive changes, including a greater emphasis on human rights, as China gradually opened up. But the past ten years have shown the opposite to be true. China’s treatment of Tibetans and Uyghurs, including the diaspora, has deteriorated sharply.
Regarding the actions of the Swiss authorities, the research report indicates that a perceived tightening of restrictions on peaceful demonstrations and asylum practices is described as a form of pressure.
For example, the documents of Tibetans in Switzerland used to give “stateless” as their country of origin. Now it says “China”. This change forces Tibetans to have regular contact with the Chinese consulate, exposing them to registration and further surveillance and intimidation by Chinese officials who remind them not to engage in political activities.
Migmar Dolma, a 33-year-old Swiss citizen of Tibetan heritage, expressed [...] her disappointment at the Swiss authorities’ hesitance and failure to address the violation of the democratic rights of Tibetans in the country.
At a political demonstration in 2014 [in Switzerland], she was forcibly grabbed, pushed and held to the ground by Chinese embassy officials. She filed a complaint against an unknown person in the footage, but the case was rejected by the public prosecutor. She believes the decision was politically motivated.
The swiss government will do the same as always: Observe the situation. If it gets really crazy maybe we will send China a letter or have a talk about human rights (nothing public ofc). Unfortunately, our tibetan friends cannot expect more from our spineless government.