Chinese officials deny Spanish allegations of genocide in Tibet

Chinese officials deny Spanish allegations of genocide in Tibet

"The claims of so-called genocide in Tibet are sheer libel, sheer fabrication," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao at a regular news briefing.

Liu said Beijing was opposed to any interference in its internal affairs, including on issues regarding Tibet.

A Spanish judge opened proceedings Monday in a lawsuit brought by the Madrid-based Committee to Support Tibet. The group filed the suit against several former Chinese officials under a Spanish law allowing prosecution of human rights crimes even if they were committed in another country.

In its lawsuit, the human rights group says that more than 1 million Tibetans have been killed or gone missing since China occupied Tibet in 1951, according to the AP.