Former Tibetan Political Prisoner Namkyi Lobbies in Geneva Ahead of 58th UN Human Rights Council Session

On 9 February 2025, former Tibetan political prisoner Namkyi arrived in Geneva, Switzerland, to participate in the Geneva Summit 2025. Ahead of the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), a five-day advocacy campaign began from 10 to 14 February 2025 to raise awareness about human rights in Tibet and share Namkyi’s testimony as a former political prisoner.

The advocacy campaign was structured into three phases: first, mee tings with officials from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) China desk; second, meetings with members of UN Permanent Missions; and third, meetings with UN Special Rapporteurs. These efforts are still ongoing.

Advocacy efforts during this period involved engaging both smaller UN member states unfamiliar with the Tibet issue and larger nations with longstanding connections. Many ambassadors voiced strong support for the Tibet cause. Representatives from smaller nations explained that while they must take a diplomatic approach to supporting Tibet due to their economic, military, and strategic dependence on larger nations, they agreed to providing direct support when the time is appropriate for raising Tibet-related issues through diplomatic channels. Although this advocacy may not have secured immediate UN support, it successfully conveyed the reality of China’s oppression in Tibet through Namkyi’s personal story. This could encourage UN member states to reassess their policies and future relations with China.

The closed-door meetings were attended by Swiss Representative Thinlay Chukki, Joint Secretary Dukthen Kyi, Head of the Advocacy Section at the Department of Information and International Relations, Geneva-based UN Advocacy Officer Phuntsok Topgyal, and former Tibetan political prisoner Namkyi. During the five-day campaign, they completed advocacy meetings with representatives from six different countries, with meetings scheduled with seven more countries. Additional meetings are scheduled with the OHCHR China desk officials and UN Special Rapporteurs.