Twenty Tibetan protesters have been detained in the ethnic Tibetan area of Qinghai, announced the Chinese government.
The Tibeten protestors are calling for Beijing to allow greater religious freedom and the return from exile of the Dalai Lama.
The government's response to protests has included sending in security forces to seal of areas and prevent information from leaking out, arresting people associated with protestors, and seizing satellite TV dishes. The government justified the clamp down on protests as a way of combating foreign forces that want to separate Tibet from the mainland.
Despite the apparent crack down, the frequency of protests and self-immolations have increased in the region.
The US state department have expressed growing concern over the deteriorating Human Rights situation in Tibetan areas.
The US State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said:
"Our concern is that there are deep grievances within the Tibetan population which are not being addressed openly through dialogue by the Chinese government,"
