Chinese surveillance cameras suppress Tibetan refugee activity in Nepal
Chinese CCTV cameras installed across Kathmandu, Nepal are reportedly monitoring Tibetan refugees and stifling their Free Tibet activism. The surveillance infrastructure is based partly on technology from US companies including Amazon Web Services, which provides cloud services to Chinese surveillance firms Hikvision and Dahua.
What happened
Thousands of CCTV cameras from China are installed across Kathmandu, Nepal, monitoring street corners and rooftops to observe Tibetan refugees.
The surveillance infrastructure is based partly on technology developed in the United States. Amazon Web Services provides cloud services to Chinese tech companies Hikvision and Dahua, which are on the US Commerce Department's Entity List for national security and human-rights concerns.
Reported impact
The intense surveillance has stifled the once-vibrant Free Tibet movement that had resonated around the world.
Tibetan refugees in Nepal report being watched, with some pulling curtains before giving interviews, indicating self-censorship due to the surveillance.
Index analysis
Nepal is one of at least 150 countries where Chinese companies supply surveillance technology, providing cash-strapped governments cost-effective forms of policing.
The surveillance tools China exports are based on technology developed in the United States, despite warnings that Chinese firms would buy, copy or steal American designs.
Governance controls
Amazon Web Services stated it adheres to ethical codes of conduct, complies with US law, and does not itself offer surveillance infrastructure.
Hikvision and Dahua stated they conduct due diligence to prevent abuse of their products. Hikvision said it categorically rejects any suggestion it is involved in or complicit in repression.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.