Parlamentarische Gruppe Tibet Groupe Parlementaire pour le Tibet Parliamentary Group for Tibet c/o The Tibet Bureau 1201 Geneva pg-tibet-sekretaer@protonmail.ch 29 June 2026 Parliamentary Group for Tibet: Call to protect the rights of the Tibetan language – opposition to the ‘Ethnic Unity Law’ introduced by the People’s Republic of China On 1 July 2026, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) will bring a new ‘Law on Ethnic Unity’ into force, thereby enshrining a Han-centred national identity at the expense of the Tibetan language, religion and culture. However, this new ‘Law on Ethnic Unity and Progress’ is not about unity for the PRC, but about forced assimilation and the systematic eradication of Tibetan identity. For the Tibetan people and all peoples oppressed by the PRC, this is not an abstract political debate, but a struggle for cultural survival. The Parliamentary Group for Tibet protests against the introduction of this law, which comes into force on 1 July 2026, and which aims to impose even stricter control at the expense of the Tibetan people’s cultural identity, whilst further threatening the culture of all ethnic groups oppressed by the PRC. This expanded state control over education, public life and the expression of Tibetan identity represents a dramatic worsening of the situation for the at least one million Tibetan children who have already been separated from their families by the PRC’s colonialist boarding school system. According to Chinese state media, even Tibetan nursery school children are being exposed to propaganda glorifying the Communist Party and the People’s Liberation Army. The Parliamentary Group for Tibet is outraged by any attempts to eradicate all forms of Tibetan identity even amongst the youngest and most vulnerable members of the Tibetan people in Tibet. The Parliamentary Group for Tibet is taking action: - It supports all of Switzerland’s efforts, within all relevant bodies and international human rights organisations, to oppose this new law and the warnings from UN experts that the law threatens the linguistic, cultural and religious autonomy of the Tibetans, Uyghurs and all peoples oppressed by the People’s Republic of China. - Representatives of the Parliamentary Group for Tibet will raise this problematic, human rights-violating action by the People’s Republic of China for discussion in the Foreign Affairs Committee (APK) and will work to ensure that, in its official talks, the Federal Council reminds the People’s Republic of China of its duty to preserve the fundamental rights of the Tibetan people, including their language, religion, culture and identity. For if this policy of the People’s Republic of China is allowed to continue unchecked, there is a risk that Tibetan identity will be wiped out within a single generation. On behalf of the Parliamentary Group for Tibet Co-President Councillor of States Tiana Moser Co-President National Councillor Léonore Porchet Co-President National Councillor Nik Gugger Co-President National Councillor Fabian Molina Vice-President Councillor of States Maya Graf