In 1950, the People's Republic of China invaded and occupied Tibet, in violation of international law. The Dalai Lama, Tibet's head of state and spiritual leader, tried for eight years to resolve the situation through dialogue and persuasion. In 1959 when a Tibetan national uprising was brutally crushed by the Chinese, the Dalai Lama fled to India with his government and tens of thousands of Tibetan citizens. Human rights are under siege. Thousands of religious and political prisoners face torture, forced labor and execution for resisting Chinese domination.
Tibetan women are subject to forced abortion and sterilization.
Civil rights are denied. Chinese police and military forces restrict the movement of civilian Tibetans and intimidate the citizenry. Restrictions on practicing Buddhism the cornerstone of Tibet's unique culture, are enforced. Monks and nuns are harshly persecuted for resisting Chinese political mandates. Thousands of Buddhist temples and monasteries have been destroyed.