Tibetans are no strangers to religious repression.
Inside Tibet, the Chinese government imposes strict rules around Tibetan Buddhism, controlling vital religious events and access to holy sites. Every year new reports emerge of monasteries being demolished, religious schools closed, and monks and nuns arrested. Even possessing a photograph of the Dalai Lama inside Tibet can result in arrest and police brutality.
China’s fear of Tibetan Buddhism and the potential that it has to bring the Tibetan people together is demonstrated in the 1995 kidnapping of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the Panchen Lama. As the Panchen Lama, he would have played a pivotal role in Tibetan Buddhism, including in helping to identify future Dalai Lamas. However, shortly after he was recognised as the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama, at age 6, he was abducted by the Chinese government and replaced with a false Lama, not recognised by the Tibetan people.

Tibetans carry a portrait of the Dalai Lama through the streets of London on Tibetan Uprising Day in London, 10 March 2022.
The religious freedom of the Tibetan people must be respected.
For too long, the world has stood by and allowed China to encroach on the rights of Tibetans. That is why we are calling on all governments to take a stand. Our demands are simple:
Recognise the positive impact of the 14th Dalai Lama on the world, the legacy of peace and unity that he has built.
Restore the religious freedom of Tibetans inside Tibet, the right to revere and keep images of the Dalai Lama, and the right of the Dalai Lama to return to his home country.
Respect the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan people, including the right of Tibetans to identify the next Dalai Lama. Issue statements of support to Tibetans around the world that your government will keep fighting for the rights and safety of Tibetan Buddhists.