Swiss Group Trains Uyghurs, Tibetans to Resist Chinese Transnational Pressure

Swiss Group Trains Uyghurs, Tibetans to Resist Chinese Transnational Pressure
———————————-
A Swiss human rights group has begun offering workshops to help members of the Uyghur and Tibetan diasporas in Switzerland respond to growing pressure and surveillance attributed to Chinese government actors, according to reporting by Nikkei Asia.

The sessions, held in Switzerland’s capital, aim to educate the country’s roughly 7,500 Uyghurs and Tibetans about the nature of transnational repression—including attempted intimidation, surveillance, and community infiltration linked to Chinese authorities. Participants are taught to recognize patterns of pressure and to report incidents involving spying, coercion or threats.

The initiative follows a government‑commissioned study by the Swiss Federal Council and the University of Basel, which documented evidence suggesting that Uyghur and Tibetan activists, as well as politically active members of those communities, have faced intimidation and monitoring in Switzerland. The report cited incidents including open filming and photographing by alleged Chinese actors, communications surveillance and pressure tied to family members back in China.

Switzerland’s Federal Council formally acknowledged in February 2025 that both communities face what it described as transnational repression, raising concerns about violations of freedom of expression and fundamental rights. The Swiss government has pledged to explore protections and diplomatic responses, though critics say action has so far been limited.