Human rights in Tibet has been a subject of intense international scrutiny and debate, particularly since the annexation of Tibet by the People's Republic of China. Before the 1950s, Tibet's social structure was marked by inequality and described as a caste-like system or, controversially, as serfdom. Severe punishments, including permanent mutilation of body parts, were common, although capital punishment was banned in 1913. Muslim warlord Ma Bufang caused widespread destruction and deaths in Amdo, which is located northeast of Central Tibet.
It is difficult to accurately determine the scope of human rights abuses in Tibet after 1950 because the media is tightly controlled by the Chinese government and information about human rights is censored.[1][2] Exile groups report that Tibetans in China are subjected to disappearances and torture, including electric shocks, cold exposure, and severe beatings. Hundreds have been killed in crackdowns, and thousands are arbitrarily detained. Freedoms of speech, the press, and political expression are all suppressed or tightly controlled. Other methods which are employed by the Chinese authorities include heavy physical labor, "political investigation" sessions, and re-education through labor.
Allegations of genocide have been made by Tibetan rights groups due to famines, civil conflicts, and population control policies which were imposed during Chinese rule, as well as cultural genocide via the sinicization of Tibet.[3] These claims are disputed due to a stated lack of evidence and the general increases in the Tibetan population, although a significant loss of life did occur during the 1950s and 1960s.
The Chinese government places strict limitations on the practice of Tibetan Buddhism. Public prayers for the 14th Dalai Lama are banned, and large religious gatherings require the government's approval. The authorities consistently discredit the 14th Dalai Lama by portraying him as a political figure rather than a religious figure, pressuring Tibetan Buddhists not to worship him.