Media Appearances
US tech enabled China’s surveillance empire. Now Tibetan refugees in Nepal are paying the price
December 21, 2025
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"Those eyes have served as a symbol of sanctuary for generations of Tibetans fleeing the Chinese crackdown in their homeland. But today, Tibetan refugees are also watched by far more malevolent eyes: Thousands of CCTV cameras from China, perched on street corners and rooftops to monitor every movement below. This intense surveillance has stifled the once-vibrant Free Tibet movement that had resonated around the world."
Assistant professor Rupak Shrestha, an expert studying surveillance in Nepal, gives commentary on the role of police in the region.
Shrestha is the instructor of the IS 308 D200 Global Indigenous Futures course running this spring.