Outspoken Tibetan author, poet and blogger Tsering Woeser was honoured with the International Women of Courage Award in absentia as China denied her a passport necessary for her to travel to the US to receive the prize.

“For courageously striving to improve human rights conditions for China’s Tibetan citizens by illuminating their plight through her writings, and thus giving eloquent voice to those whose stories might otherwise never be heard, Tsering Woeser is a woman of courage,” Secretary of State John Kerry said reading her citation at the awards ceremony held at the State Department.

Tibet, Kerry said, has become increasingly identified with self-immolations and protests against the deteriorating human rights conditions for China’s Tibetan citizens.

“Against this backdrop, Tsering Woeser has emerged as a clarion voice of the people, even as the Chinese Government has worked to curtail the flow of information from Tibet.

Through her Web site, called Invisible Tibet, her poetry, her non-fiction works, her savvy use of communication networks like Twitter, Tsering has bravely documented the situation around her,” he said.

“And for her efforts, she is now subject to constant surveillance, followed by security agents, and at this moment is under house arrest,” Kerry said.

State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said Tsering Woeser was not granted a passport, so she wasn’t able to travel.

The other being Razan Zeitunah, human rights lawyer and Founder, and Ta Phong Tan, blogger from Vietnam — all of whom were given the award in absentia.

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