At the 17th Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, former Tibetan political prisoner Namkyi delivered a compelling testimony detailing the severe human rights abuses endured by Tibetans under Chinese rule. Her speech, delivered on Tuesday in Geneva, Switzerland, brought global attention to the ongoing repression in Tibet and underscored the need for international action.
The Geneva Summit, held annually alongside the UN Human Rights Council’s General Assembly, serves as a platform for activists from around the world to advocate for justice and fundamental freedoms. Namkyi’s testimony was one of the most poignant moments of the event, offering firsthand insight into the brutality of Chinese policies in Tibet.
“I personally witnessed how Chinese military forces cracked down on Tibetans in my region and on Kirti Monastery. My heart was filled with sadness and suffering, which compelled me to rise up and raise my voice,” Namkyi stated during her address.
Arrested at the age of 15 in 2015 for protesting against Chinese policies in Tibet, Namkyi endured a harrowing journey through China’s oppressive judicial system. She was detained for 13 months without trial before being sentenced to three years in prison on trumped-up charges of “separatist acts against the nation” and supporting “the Dalai clique” by the court of Trochu County.
Her testimony was supported by video footage of her and her cousin, Tenzin Dolma, protesting in Ngaba County’s “Martyr Street.” In the footage, Namkyi is seen carrying a portrait of the Dalai Lama and calling for his return to Tibet before Chinese police violently arrested them.
“About 10 minutes into our protest, we heard a loud noise from behind, and a group of police officers rushed at us. They forcefully grabbed the photos from our hands, muffled our voices, pinned us to the ground, and eventually handcuffed us,” she recounted.
Namkyi further detailed the grim conditions of her imprisonment, describing physical assaults by male officers, political indoctrination, forced labor, and inadequate access to food and medical care. Even after her release in 2018, she remained under strict surveillance, with severe restrictions on her movement. Her family and community also faced collective punishment—a tactic frequently used by Chinese authorities to deter dissent.
“This is not just a story about me but of thousands of Tibetans who have suffered and continue to suffer in jails of China under Chinese repressive policies,” Namkyi told the summit’s attendees.
After years of hardship, Namkyi managed to escape Tibet in 2023, enduring a grueling 10-day journey through the snow-covered mountains to Nepal before finally finding refuge in Dharamshala, India. Now residing in exile, she is dedicated to raising global awareness about the plight of Tibetans and advocating for the return of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama to Tibet.
Namkyi concluded her testimony with a heartfelt appeal to the international community to support the Tibetan cause. Her visit to Geneva also included advocacy meetings with officials from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), UN permanent missions, and special rapporteurs. She was accompanied by representatives from the Central Tibetan Administration and the Office of Tibet in Switzerland, aiming to garner greater support for Tibet among UN member states.
Tibetan voices have long been present at the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy. In previous years, activists such as Chemi Lhamo, Dr. Gyal Lo, Tenzin Tsundue, and Dhondup Wangchen have highlighted the Chinese government’s systematic repression in Tibet. From colonial boarding schools aimed at erasing Tibetan identity to the imprisonment of filmmakers exposing human rights abuses, these testimonies serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need for international intervention.
Namkyi’s courageous testimony adds to this growing body of evidence, reinforcing the call for justice and freedom for Tibet. As she continues her advocacy from exile, her story serves as a powerful testament to the resilience of the Tibetan people and their unwavering struggle for human rights and self-determination.
