Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Oct. 12: The exile Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Saturday congratulated Navi Pillay on being named the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, praising her commitment to human rights and recalling her efforts to urge China to address underlying issues in Tibet.
In a letter dated October 10, following the announcement of the award, the nonagenarian leader commended Pillay for dedicating her life to defending people whose rights have been denied. “You have devoted your life to the cause of people around the world who are denied their rights,” he wrote.
The Tibetan spiritual leader emphasised the importance of the rule of law, an independent judiciary and a free press, warning that their absence inevitably leads to injustice and suffering.
In his congratulatory letter, the Dalai Lama expressed hope that Pillay would continue contributing to international peace and human rights. “I warmly welcome you to the community of Nobel Peace Laureates and look forward to your continued contribution to making the world a better place for us all,” he wrote.
Pillay served as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights from 2008 to 2014. Her tenure has also come under scrutiny over allegations concerning the disclosure of information about activists to Chinese authorities.
Pillay’s recognition comes amid renewed criticism from Uyghur activist Dolkun Isa, who has accused the UN human rights office under Pillay’s leadership of sharing information about human rights defenders with the Chinese government without their consent.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Uyghur activist Dolkun Isa questioned the decision to honour Pillay, citing his experience with the UN human rights system and what he described as a failure to protect human rights defenders from Chinese pressure.
Isa said he had advocated for Uyghur rights at the UN for years and had faced surveillance, intimidation and attempts to silence him. He also stated that he was forcibly removed from UN premises in 2017.
According to Isa, he encountered serious obstacles to accreditation and access to the UN during 2012–2013, while Pillay was serving as High Commissioner for Human Rights. He said he subsequently learned that the office under her leadership had shared information about his participation, and that of other human rights defenders, with the Chinese government without their consent.
“For me, this was a profound betrayal of trust by an institution that should have protected us,” Isa wrote, calling for a full and transparent accounting of the practice.
While acknowledging Pillay’s achievements in other areas, Isa argued that these could not erase what he considered a failure to protect the rights and safety of Uyghur advocates. He also criticised what he described as a lack of strong, unequivocal solidarity with the Uyghur people in the face of what he termed the Uyghur genocide.
The activist said the issue was deeply personal, stating that his mother died in a Chinese internment camp in 2018 and that his two brothers remain imprisoned in China.
“A Nobel Peace Prize does not place anyone beyond accountability,” Isa wrote, demanding answers about why information about human rights defenders was shared with Beijing, who authorised the practice and why those entrusted with protecting activists failed to do so.
Isa’s allegations add to longstanding controversy over claims that the UN human rights office disclosed the identities of Uyghur and other Chinese human rights activists planning to attend UN sessions in Geneva. The allegations have been raised by former UN staff member and whistle-blower Emma Reilly, among others.
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