Dharamshala, Feb. 15 -- The State Administration for Religious Affairs, China's primary body overseeing recognised religions, introduced an updated version of the Measures for the Administration of Tibetan Buddhist Temples on December 1, 2024.

According to a report by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), the new law--adopted in September 2024 and enacted on January 1, 2025--"greatly increased state control over Tibetan religious practice by integrating political directives into Tibetan religious administration."

To further entwine religious practice with state ideology, the amendment "adds explicit political conditions. By making these demands legally binding, the CCP strengthens its hold over monasteries and clerg...