Thermo Fisher Scientific, a company that makes scientific instruments, chemicals and even consumables has said that it was stopping sale of forensic tech and equipment in Tibet which can potentially be used to identify individuals, reported Reuters, citing company spokesperson.
In past, the company had made dedicated human identification (HID) available in Tibet. The spokesperson reportedly said that the technology was used for functions such as tracking criminals.
The spokesperson said that the sales of the technology and equipments were “consistent with routine forensic investigation in an area of this size” but “based on a number of factors we made the decision in mid-2023 to cease sales of HID products in the region”.
Thermo Fisher Scientific, a company that makes scientific instruments, chemicals and even consumables has said that it was stopping sale of forensic tech and equipment in Tibet which can potentially be used to identify individuals, reported Reuters, citing company spokesperson.
In past, the company had made dedicated human identification (HID) available in Tibet. The spokesperson reportedly said that the technology was used for functions such as tracking criminals.
The spokesperson said that the sales of the technology and equipments were “consistent with routine forensic investigation in an area of this size” but “based on a number of factors we made the decision in mid-2023 to cease sales of HID products in the region”.
China, which controls Tibet, has been drawing international flak over human rights issues, particularly of the Uyghur Muslims and also for stifling religious and cultural freedoms in predominantly Buddhist Tibet. However, China vigorously denies all such allegations.
Thermo Fisher Scientific reportedly denied to specify reason for its latest decision to stop sale of forensic tech and equipment in Tibet.
In 2019, the company took a similar decision to stop sale of genetic sequencing equipment in China’s Xinjiang. There are allegations that China is building DNA database for Uyghurs, a charge authorities deny.
Shareholders of Thermo Fisher Scientific have welcomed the company’s latest decision saying that some of its tech had a risk of being used by law enforcers to commit human rights violations.
Reuters reported that Azzad Asset Management, one of the shareholders, had written a letter to Thermo Fisher last month saying it had withdrawn a shareholder proposal regarding human rights after the US firm said it would cease HID product sales in Tibet as of Dec 31, 2023.
Thermo Fisher Scientific declined to comment on why it waited for many days after its initial announcement about the ban and its actual implementation, said Reuters.
