Tsering Dhundup
DHARAMSHALA, Feb. 15: The Swiss Federal Council has released a report detailing extensive surveillance and pressure tactics by Chinese authorities against Tibetan and Uyghur communities in Switzerland on Wednesday.
The report titled “Situation of Tibetan and Uyghur in Switzerland”, based on the results of a University of Basel study commissioned by the Federal Office of Justice and the State Secretariat for Migration, in response to a resolution passed by parliamentary postulate on 15 March 2021, documents that Chinese authorities employ various methods to monitor and influence Tibetan and Uyghur individuals residing in Switzerland. The research, based on 57 interviews with community members and experts, found evidence of systematic surveillance, intimidation, and attempts to recruit informants within these communities.
“The research report concludes that China is very likely attempting to co-opt Tibetans and Uyghurs in Switzerland to spy on and pressure members of their own diaspora,” the Federal Council stated in its findings. According to the report, co-optation can also include fueling exile community disputes to split the community. The tactics vary depending on the target’s residence status and background.
Key findings of the report reveal that Chinese authorities employ a combination of threats and incentives to recruit informants, tailoring their approach based on the targeted community. Tibetans without residence permits often face threats of retaliation against their families in China if they refuse to cooperate, while economically established Tibetans are offered financial incentives, travel permits, or business opportunities in exchange for information.
Uyghurs, on the other hand, are typically pressured through threats or promises concerning their family members in East Turkistan. Surveillance is extensive, involving both digital and physical monitoring, with public demonstrations and community events regularly filmed and documented. Additionally, cyber attacks, including computer infiltration, virus installations, and social media disruptions, have been used to undermine political engagement.
The report also documents cases where surveillance footage from demonstrations against China in Switzerland was used to target family members by the Chinese authorities in Tibet and East Turkestan, with some individuals being arrested within days of their relatives participating in protests in Switzerland.
In the report, Swiss authorities acknowledge that while these activities may not pose an immediate threat to state security, they constitute espionage that violates Swiss fundamental values and can be criminally prosecuted. The Federal Intelligence Service has confirmed the presence of Chinese intelligence officers operating under diplomatic cover in Switzerland.
In response to these findings, the Federal Council is considering additional protective measures. Currently, such activities can be prosecuted under various provisions of the Swiss Criminal Code, including prohibited actions for a foreign state (Article 271) and political intelligence service (Article 272).
The report comes at a time when several human rights organisations, including Human Rights Watch and Freedom House, have documented China’s transnational repression against Tibetans, Uyghurs, Taiwanese and Chinese dissidents. Earlier this month, on February 6, Freedom House released a report stating that in the last 10 years, China has been the world’s leading perpetrator of direct physical incidents of transnational repression, accounting for 22% of recorded cases.
Switzerland, home to one of Europe’s largest Tibetan communities and numerous international organizations, observers say is expected to remain a key target of Chinese surveillance. The Swiss Federal Council has highlighted that Beijing’s interest in the Tibetan diaspora is expected to intensify around the succession of the 14th Dalai Lama, a politically sensitive issue for China.
In response to the report, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun on Thursday said the Swiss government should “respect China’s fundamental interests and major concerns and stop spreading misinformation to the outside world. Political manipulation on the issues of Tibet and Xinjiang and the denigration of China go against the facts.”
