Tibetans condemn the death sentences passed by China
15 April, Dharamsala: Tibetan NGOs condemn the recent death sentences passed by China. We are gravely concerned about the fate of Lobsang Gyaltsen and Loyak who were given death sentences, Tenzin Phuntsok and Kangtsuk who were given suspended death sentences with two-year reprieves, and Dawa Sangpo who was given a life sentence. The Lhasa Municipal Intermediate people's Court tried and sentenced these five Tibetans in three separate cases related to arson attacks in March 2008 in Lhasa.
A report released by Human Rights Watch in March 2009 concludes that the process of trials and imprisonment in Tibet over the past year has been politically motivated and that the "principle of independence of the judiciary is thoroughly undermined by leadership's demand that court and police tailor their actions to political requirements."
Ven. Ngawang Woeber, the President of Guchusum ex-political prisoners' movement said, "Political prisoners were never given free and fair trials in Tibet. These sentences are part of widespread and violent campaign by the Chinese authorities to punish and silence any Tibetan who dares to speak out against Chinese rule. Therefore, harshest of punishments were given to Tibetans but despite knowing their fate Tibetans defy this and speak out their demand for Independence."
We urge the Supreme People's Court to repeal the death sentences passed on above Tibetans. The authorities should give free and fair trials to all the five Tibetans according to the international judicial standards.
Tenzin Choeying, the National Director of Students for a Free Tibet said, "The Chinese authorities routinely deny Tibetans their basic legal rights and protections within the so-called judicial system in China and there is no reason for us to believe the cases of Lobsang Gyaltsen and Loyak are any different."
Chinese government's second class treatment of Tibetans is appalling. We call on the authorities to respect human rights and give rights to all the detained Tibetans to independently choose their own lawyers, as per their written report two-year human rights action plan issued on on 13th April 2009. Therefore, we urge the Chinese authority to implement this to the Tibetans who were recently sentenced. Chinese lawyers who last year offered to help Tibetans were threatened recently not to help Tibetans or else they might lose their registration to practice law.
We also declare Friday, the 17th of April 2009, the global day of action on the unjust trials of the five Tibetans. We appeal all the Tibetans and their supporters to speak out and give voices to the voiceless Tibetans.
Tibetan NGOs would like to appeal all the freedom loving people of the world to kindly engage the Chinese and express their grave concern to the Chinese government that international judicial standards have not been upheld in the trial process. We also appeal everyone to write to international bodies and governments particularly to the Chinese authorities.
By Tibetan People's Uprising Movement
Represented by:
Tibetan Women's Association
National Democratic Party of Tibet
Guchusum Ex-political Prisoners' Movement
Students for a Free Tibet - India
More Information
- Take Action Now by sending this urgent message to the Minister of Justice, Wu Aiying, demanding that
- the death sentences be quashed with immediate effect
- all eight cases are impartially investigated with any further trials to be conducted openly and with due regard to international legal standards
- that all cases related to events of March and April 2008 are given a suspension until a full and independent inquiry into events around these dates is held
- that a full list of the names and whereabouts of all Tibetans still detained in relation to last years events is provided
- that no prisoner is subjected to torture or other ill-treatment, they are granted the right to regular visits by family members, have access to lawyers of their choice and are given any necessary medical treatment needed.
- Contact the Tibetan Women's Association if you would like to sign this petition
- Click here to view the Appeal Letter by Vaclav Havel, El Hassan Bin Talal, Desmond Tutu, Andre Glucksmann, and Vartan Gregorian.