HRW: China Detains Hundreds of Tibetans

Posted February 17th, 2012 at 4:45 am (UTC-5)
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A U.S.-based rights group says Chinese authorities have detained hundreds of Tibetans who went to India to receive religious instruction from the Dalai Lama.

Human Rights Watch said in a statement that this is the first known instance since the late 1970s in which Chinese authorities have detained normal Tibetans in large numbers to force them to undergo re-education.

The statement said that although China routinely arrests Tibetans caught returning from Nepal and India without legal travel documents, in this most recent crackdown, hundreds of people detained had valid visas and passports.

HRW demanded the immediate release of Tibetans who have been detained and are being forced to undergo political re-education.