Censorship by Facebook "shameful": US based Tibet advocacy group

By Phuntsok Yangchen

DHARAMSHALA, January 7: A leading Tibetan advocacy group based in Washington DC has petitioned the social networking giant Facebook to account after it deleted a post by a Beijing based Tibetan writer, allegedly under Chinese pressure.

The International Campaign for Tibet, a prominent advocacy group based in Washington DC, is urging people to tell Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to let the Tibetan voices be heard.

Tell Facebook: Let Tibetans Be Heard, as the petition is called, has already been signed by over 4000 people and counting.

The ICT said that the social networking site has violated Woesers freedom of expression and Tibetans right in letting the world know the real situation in Tibet.

Calling the removal of her post wrong and shameful, it said, Censoring the truth about Chinas oppression of Tibetan- so severe and pervasive that some see setting themselves on fire as their only way to be heard.

Matteo Mecacci, President of the International Campaign for Tibet, said the existence of freedom of expression on any media can be fully assessed only when social and political activism is taken into account.

Chinas ban on Facebook reflects that so far the social medias giant had refused to apply the censorship standards typical of Chinas social media. It was therefore worrying to see a video posted by Woeser about Kalsang Yeshis self immolation deleted by Facebook, as other recent interference with individual accounts. We are seeking a full explanation and calling on Facebook to fully uphold the freedom of expression that has become an integral part of its brand, added Matteo.

Matteo said his organization launched the campaign to call on Facebook to stop blocking images of Tibetan self-immolations, especially if the users are posting them with many technical difficulties from within China, as Woeser does.

Censorship from the free world would be the ultimate offense to these courageous people who are trying to bring justice and freedom to places where people do not now enjoy them.

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Censorship by Facebook "shameful": US based Tibet advocacy group