The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) on Thursday released its 2025 Annual Report on the Human Rights Situation in Tibet, portraying what it described as a worsening climate of repression and expanding state control across Tibet under the People’s Republic of China.
Published in Tibetan, English and Chinese, the report documents what TCHRD calls an escalating human rights crisis marked by severe restrictions on religious freedom, freedom of expression, education, cultural identity and peaceful dissent.
Presenting the report, TCHRD officials said Tibet remained one of the least free places in the world in 2025, citing a Global Freedom Score of zero out of 100 assigned by Freedom House. The report states that under the leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has intensified efforts to consolidate political and ideological control through tighter legal regulations, political indoctrination, enhanced surveillance and policies aimed at reshaping Tibetan identity.
According to the report, state interference in Tibetan religious life has increased, with new measures strengthening party control over monasteries and religious institutions. Monastic communities have reportedly been required to align more closely with CCP ideology, while religious practices continue to face heightened scrutiny and regulation.
The report also highlights restrictions surrounding the 90th birthday celebrations of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. It alleges that Chinese authorities enforced extensive security measures, intensified censorship and curbed public expressions of devotion to the Tibetan spiritual leader, which TCHRD described as part of Beijing’s continuing efforts to suppress Tibetan religious identity.
The annual review further points to the continued erosion of Tibetan language and culture. Mandarin Chinese, it says, increasingly dominates educational institutions, while new policies governing early childhood education have reduced opportunities for Tibetan-medium instruction. These developments are described as part of a broader strategy to weaken the transmission of Tibetan language and cultural traditions to future generations.
Environmental activism and peaceful protest also came under pressure during the year, the report claims. Tibetans opposing mining operations and infrastructure projects allegedly faced arrests, intimidation, surveillance, violence and collective punishment affecting entire communities.
Among the most serious cases documented was the alleged extrajudicial killing of Tibetan religious leader Tulku Hungkar Dorje in Vietnam. The report states that he died following his detention during a joint operation involving Chinese and Vietnamese authorities. TCHRD said the incident raises concerns about China’s growing transnational repression and the targeting of Tibetan religious figures and activists beyond its borders.
The report argues that state control in Tibet has evolved beyond conventional political suppression into a deeply institutionalised system affecting nearly every aspect of life.
