More than 400 people marched through Zurich on 3 July to protest China's newly enacted 'Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress', rallying from Werdmuhleplatz to the Chinese Consulate General in a demonstration organised by a coalition of Tibetan and Uyghur advocacy groups. Protesters called on the international community to reject the legislation and take concrete steps to protect the rights of Tibetans, Uyghurs, and other ethnic minorities in China.

Who Organised the March

The demonstration was a joint effort by the Tibetan Community of Switzerland and Liechtenstein, the Tibetan Youth Association in Europe (TYAE), the Swiss Tibetan Friendship Association (GSTF), the World Uyghur Congress, the Swiss Tibetan Women's Association, and the Church of Almighty God. The event opened with addresses by Thinlay Chukki, Representative of the Dalai Lama to Central and Eastern Europe, and Venerable Khenpo Tenzin Jangchup of Rikon Monastery.

What Protesters Said

Speaking at the gathering, Thinlay Chukki said the legislation was not a genuine unity measure. 'We have also seen the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights call for the repeal of this law because it is clear that this legislation is not intended to promote unity. Rather, it is designed to facilitate the complete erasure and forced assimilation of Tibetans, Uyghurs, and other so-called ethnic minorities,' she stated.

Chukki also expressed solidarity with 'the more than 157 Tibetans who have self-immolated in Tibet, calling for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and for freedom in Tibet.' She urged parliamentary groups worldwide — including those in Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and Italy — to stand together in opposing the law and calling unequivocally for its repeal.

Representatives of the World Uyghur Congress, the Swiss Tibetan Women's Association, and the Church of Almighty God described the legislation as 'a policy that threatens the cultural, linguistic, and religious identities of Tibetans, Uyghurs, and other ethnic minorities.'

International Concern Over the Law

Beijing's ethnic unity law came into force on Wednesday, drawing swift condemnation internationally. UN experts have warned that the legislation risks 'entrenching forced assimilation and encouraging transnational repression.' The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has separately called for the law's repeal, lending institutional weight to the protesters' demands.

This comes amid a pattern of escalating international scrutiny over China's policies in Tibet and the Uyghur regions, with multiple UN bodies and Western governments having previously flagged concerns about cultural suppression and surveillance in those areas.

What Demonstrators Are Demanding

Beyond the repeal of the law, protesters called on governments and parliamentary bodies to demand accountability from China under international law and existing human rights conventions. The coalition urged an end to what it described as Beijing's systematic assimilation policies targeting ethnic minorities, and pressed for concrete action rather than diplomatic silence.

With the law now in effect and UN criticism already on record, the coming weeks will test whether Western parliaments translate solidarity statements into formal diplomatic pressure on Beijing.