Skip to content
EU Parl Watch

resolution motion, 5 May 2025

On Violations of Religious Freedom in Tibet

Motion B-10-2025-0248 · (2025/2692(RSP))

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group · Rapporteur: Ville Niinistö, Catarina Vieira, Maria Ohisalo, Erik Marquardt, Nicolae Ştefănuță, Mounir Satouri, Leoluca Orlando

On Parliament’s site PDF Word

AI:In short

This resolution condemns the repression of religious minorities and human rights violations in Tibet by the People's Republic of China, urging an end to assimilation policies and restrictions on religious freedom. It calls for an independent investigation into the death of Humkar Dorje Rinpoche, the release of the Panchen Lama, EU sanctions on responsible officials, and action at the UN Human Rights Council. It also urges the EU to address repression of diaspora groups, member states to suspend extradition treaties with China, and insists human rights issues be on the EU-China summit agenda.

Key points

  1. Strongly condemns the repression of religious minorities and violation of universal human rights in Tibet by the PRC.
  2. Urges the PRC to immediately end its oppressive assimilation policy and restriction of freedom of religion in Tibet and against other minorities.
  3. Calls for an independent investigation into the death of Humkar Dorje Rinpoche and for the immediate release of the Panchen Lama.
  4. Urges the EU to address PRC's repression against diaspora groups and the Member States to suspend extradition treaties with the PRC.
  5. Reiterates its call on the PRC to reengage with representatives of the 14th Dalai Lama to establish genuine autonomy for Tibetans within China.
  6. Demands that the EU impose sanctions on officials and entities responsible for human rights violations in Tibet.
  7. Insists that systemic deterioration of human rights in China, including Tibet and Xinjiang, and cases like Ilham Tohti must feature on the next EU-China summit agenda.
  8. Calls on the EU to lead action at the UN Human Rights Council to create an independent investigative mechanism into China's human rights abuses.

Who is affected

  • The People's Republic of China, its authorities and government, are urged to change policies and face potential sanctions.
  • The EU and its member states are called upon to impose sanctions, suspend extradition treaties, and raise issues at summits and the UN.
  • Tibetan Buddhists and other religious minorities in China are the targets of the resolution's protections.

Written by AI from the full text · every figure comes from the text · ¶ opens the paragraph · 4 Sept 2026 · Report a problem

Full text

Text 19 paragraphs

B100248/2025

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on Violations of Religious Freedom in Tibet

(2025/2692(RSP))

The European Parliament,

–having regard to its previous resolutions on People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Tibet,

–having regard to article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

–having regard to Articles 4 and 36 of the PRC Constitution,

–having regard to Rules 150 of its Rules of Procedure,

A.whereas under the leadership of Xi Jinping, the Chinese Government has become increasingly more oppressive of religious minorities, for example by pursuing a policy of sinicization and assimilation of Tibetan Buddhism; whereas religious freedom conditions in China are among the worst in the world; whereas the UN indicated that there is prominent and credible evidence of China committing serious human rights violations against the Uyghur community which may amount to crimes against humanity;

B.whereas Tibetan Buddhists are systematically targeted by Chinese authorities; whereas Tibetan religious leader Humkar Dorje Rinpoche died allegedly while in custody in Vietnam following concerted actions with China’s Ministry of State Security on 29 March 2025; whereas the 11th Panchen Lama was abducted in 1995 and held captive ever since; whereas Tibetan children are forcibly enrolled in boarding schools aiming to erase their Tibetan identity; whereas the Tibetan population are under systematic surveillance through mandatory apps;

C.whereas the degradation of the human rights situation in China has put a strain on the relation with the EU and decisively contributed to making the rivalry dimension of the relation more prominent;

1.Strongly condemns the repression of religious minorities and the violation of universal human rights in Tibet by the PRC;

Read the rest (7 paragraphs)

2.Urges the PRC to immediately end its oppressive assimilation policy and restriction of freedom of religion in Tibet and against other minorities;

3.Calls for an independent investigation into the death of Humkar Dorje Rinpoche and for the immediate release of the Panchem Lama; urges the EU to address PRC’s repression against diaspora groups and the Member States to suspend extradition treaties with the PRC;

4.Reiterates its call on the PRC to reengage with the representatives of the 14th Dalai Lama with a view to establishing genuine autonomy for Tibetans within China;

5.Demands that the EU impose sanctions on officials and entities responsible for human rights violations in Tibet; stresses that since the introduction of sanctions for the human rights violations in Xinjiang in 2021 the situation has not improved and recalls Parliament’s requests for additional measures;

6.Insists that the systemic deterioration of human rights in China, including the situation in Tibet and in Xinjiang, and prominent individual cases such as Sakharov laureate Ilham Tohti, must feature prominently on the agenda of the next EU-China summit;

7.Calls on the EU to lead action at the UN Human Rights Council to create an independent investigative mechanism into China’s human rights abuses;

8.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the HR/VP, the Member States, the Chinese authorities and government and the United Nations.