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The Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) raised concerns over human rights violations and restrictions affecting Tibetans and Uyghurs during the 19th round of the Swiss-Chinese Bilateral Human Rights Dialogue held on October 19 and 20, 2026, as reported by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA).
According to the CTA, in a statement, the Tibet Bureau expressed appreciation to the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) for addressing concerns related to Tibet, Xinjiang, Hong Kong and the possible impact of Chinas ethnic unity legislation on minority communities. Switzerlands intervention was an important step towards keeping Tibets human rights situation on the international agenda. According to the FDFAs announcement on October 20, the discussions covered the implications of Chinas so-called Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress for the linguistic, cultural and religious rights of minority groups. Individual human rights cases were also raised during the dialogue. The Swiss delegation was led by Dagmar Schmidt Tartagli, Deputy Head of the FDFAs Peace and Human Rights Division, while Yuan Yuan, Deputy Director General of the Department of International Organisations and Conferences at Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed the Chinese delegation. The talks addressed civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, cooperation in multilateral human rights forums, the implications of artificial intelligence for human rights and collaboration on penal systems. Continued concerns over restrictions on Tibetan language education, cultural expression and religious freedom were also highlighted. The Tibetan Bureau warned that Chinas ethnic unity legislation could further threaten the distinct identities and traditions of minority communities if their fundamental rights are not adequately protected, as highlighted by CTA. The Tibet Bureau also urged Switzerland to maintain its engagement with Beijing and continue raising issues affecting Tibetans in future diplomatic discussions. Sustained international attention and meaningful action are essential to protecting fundamental freedoms and preserving Tibets linguistic, cultural and religious heritage, as reported by CTA. (ANI)
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