Chinese authorities are further cracking down on Tibetans, arresting 70 people in the country’s Tibetan regions, state-run media reported on Thursday.
It follows a spate of self-immolation protests by Tibetans in recent years.
State-run media say 12 of those detained have been formally arrested. But gave no details about their charges.
Since 2009, nearly 100 Tibetans in China have set themselves on fire to protest Communist rule. Most have died from their injuries.
The Chinese regime has undertaken new measures to stop the protests. The latest is to charge Tibetans whom authorities say are inciting the protests.
Chinese authorities have blamed “hostile” foreign forces for the self-immolations. It has long accused exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, as a separatist. This week, Chinese state-run media accused US broadcaster, Voice of America, of encouraging the deadly protests.
VOA has strongly denied the claims. The Dalai Lama has maintained he does not support this form of protest, and has called for dialogues with Chinese leaders to resolve the tension in Tibet.
