Tibetan activist sets himself on fire in front of the UN

According to information from CNN, the activist was holding a Tibetan flag and two men with fire extinguishers put out the flames, but the 52-year-old protester died from burns shortly after being hospitalized.

The Tibetan government-in-exile and activists identified the man as Lobga Rangzen, also known as Lobsang Palden.

A video broadcast live from a Facebook account bearing the activist’s name showed the suicide protest. Another video, published on the same profile, shows the activist calling on Tibetans to work together for “Tibet independence” and to “never forget” their heritage and identity and accusing the Chinese regime of creating policies “designed to destroy Tibetan identity, culture and language”.

On Wednesday (1st), the so-called Law on the Promotion of Ethnic Unity and Progress came into force in China. The rule prohibits acts that “undermine ethnic unity or create ethnic divisions” in the country, a rule that causes concern due to the Chinese communist dictatorship’s already vast history of persecution of minorities such as the Uyghurs from the Xinjiang region and Tibetans.