Tag: tibet

According to confirmed information by TCHRD, Dhonyoe Dorjee, a monk at Kirti Monastery was sentenced to three years’ prison term. At present, he is in Mianyang Prison near Chengdu in Sichuan Province. There is no information on the details of his trial, the court that sentenced him, and the date and time of the court hearing. The charges under which he has been sentenced also remain unknown.

Since his arrest on 8 April 2011 from his monastery, Dhonyoe Dorjee was held incommunicado until his trial.

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On 6 July 2011, Dorgay, a monk of Shabten Monastery in Dickyi Township of Nagchu (Ch: Naqu) County in Tibet Autonomous Region was arrested and taken away by Chinese police.

At around 5 am on 6 July, Dorgay, 22, drove his car with 1500-2000 khataks (ceremonial scarves). Praying for the long life of the Dalai Lama, he tied the khataks on trees, electric poles and everywhere in Nagchu region as a celebration of the 76th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Soon after returning to his monastery, Chinese police arrived at the monastery and inquired whether he was the one who put khataks all around Nagchu to which he confessed. Hence, he was arrested and taken away by Chinese police. His whereabouts remain unknown to date. His family members and fellow monks at Shabten Monastery tried to locate him and find out about his conditions but without any success.

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The United Nations has designated 26 June as the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture and today marks the 13th anniversary of the day.Attaching importance to this anniversary, the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) commemorates the day to stand in solidarity with the victims of torture and recognize the pain and suffering of victims and survivors of torture throughout the world. The day reminds us that torture is a crime and provides us with an opportunity to stand united and voice our opinion against torture, a cruel violation of human rights and human dignity.

Adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1984, the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) entered into force on 26 June 1987. It was an important step in the much-needed process of globalizing human rights and acknowledging that torture, and all forms of inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, are absolutely and universally illegal and should not be condoned. There can be zero tolerance for torture. In 1997, the United Nations General Assembly decided to mark this historic date and designated 26 June each year as the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. The Convention obliges States to make torture a crime and to prosecute and punish those guilty of it. It notes explicitly that neither higher orders nor exceptional circumstances can justify torture.

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Sonam Tsering
Sonam Tsering

The Lhasa Intermediate People’s Court has sentenced a Tibetan, Sonam Tsering, to death with two years reprieve and five other Tibetans to lengthy imprisonment terms between 3 to 7 years in prison for secretly hiding him from the law enforcement agencies.

On 25 May 2010 the Lhasa Intermediate People’s Court sentenced Sonam Tsering to death with two years reprieve under article 289 and 263 and the other five Tibetans ( Tashi Choedon, Kelyon, Yeshi Tsomo, Tayang, Tsewang Gyurmey) to imprisonment terms between 3 to 7 years under Article 310 of the Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China, according to the official Lhasa Evening News.

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The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy(TCHRD) condemns in strongest term over Chinese authorities — launching of the –”Strike Hard” campaign aimed at carrying out further detentions of Tibetans in Tibet as the March anniversary of the Tibetan Uprising approaches.

According to information given in the official newspaper Lhasa Evening News (Ch: Lasa Wen Bao) today, “the Lhasa City Public Security Bureau (PSB) officials under the order of Lhasa City government, the “Tibet Autonomous Region” (“TAR”) PSB, “TAR” Party Committee and Lhasa City Party Committee had carried out the “Strike Hard” Campaign from 9:00PM (Beijing standard time) yesterday across the Tibetan Capital, Lhasa. “The campaign was also launched across all seven prefectures under the “TAR” in order to strike hard according to law against all kinds of criminal activity and to vigorously uphold the social order and stability.” The length of this campaign was not mentioned and it may last for months. 

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A disciplinary head of Amdo Jachung Monastery in Bayen County, Tsoshar Prefecture, Qinghai Province has been expelled for failing to comply with the officials of “patriotic education” campaign, according to confirmed information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD).

On 27 June, a team of officials from Religious Affairs Bureau of Bayen (Ch: Hualong) Hui County under Tsoshar (Ch: Haidong) Prefecture, Qinghai Province and the County Public Security Bureau (PSB) officials arrived at Amdo Jachung Monastery to carry out “patriotic education” campaign now euphemistically called by the name of “Legal Education” session. According to source, the officials ordered the disciplinary head of Amdo Jachung Monastery, Lobsang Tsultrim, to call for monks to assemble for the “legal education” to be conducted in the monastery.

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The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) commemorates the 12th anniversary of the UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture to recognise the pain and suffering that victims and survivors of torture throughout the world has gone through. The day reminds us that torture is a crime and provides us with an opportunity to stand united and voice our opinion against torture, a cruel violation of human rights. International law states that torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman, degrading treatment or punishment can never be justified under any circumstances.

Adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1984, the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) entered into force on 26 June 1987. It was an important step in the much-needed process of globalising human rights and acknowledging that torture, and all forms of inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, are absolutely and universally illegal and should not be condoned. There can be zero tolerance for torture. In 1997, the United Nations General Assembly decided to mark this historic date and designated 26 June each year as the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. The Convention obliges States to make torture a crime and to prosecute and punish those guilty of it. It notes explicitly that neither higher orders nor exceptional circumstances can justify torture. 

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The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) received reliable information that the Tibetans in Tawu County protested against a construction of a major hydroelectric dam that resulted in a displacement of tens and thousands of local Tibetans. Currently the Chinese government is undertaking a construction of a major hydroelectric dam between Nyag-chu and Tawu County, which is resulting…

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Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) expresses its shock and dismay over the harsh sentences passed on three Tibetans by the Lhasa Municipal Intermediate People’s Court.

Penkyi,sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve

According to official Chinese mouthpiece, Xinhua, dated 21 April 2009, the Lhasa Municipal Intermediate People’s Court sentenced one man to death with a two-year reprieve and two others to long jail terms for setting fire that killed six people in Lhasa riot last year. Penkyi, of Sakya County, Shigatse Prefecture(Ch: Xigaze) “Tibet Autonomous Region” (‘TAR’) was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve, whereas Penkyi, 23, from Nyemo County (Ch: Nimo Xian), Lhasa Municipality, “TAR” was sentenced to life imprisonment and Chime, 20, from Namling County (Ch: Nanmulin xian), Shigatse Prefecture, “TAR” was sentenced to 10 years in prison. The three were sentenced by the Chinese court on alleged charges of arson, setting fire to clothing stores last year during the Lhasa unrest.

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Jigme Gyatso, a 48-year-old Tibetan political prisoner from Amdo Kersul, who is serving 17 years’ prison sentence is learnt to be seriously ill following years of torture and ill-treatment in the prison since 1996, according to information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) from reliable sources.

The Centre expresses its deepest concern at the continued imprisonment of seriously ill Jigme Gyatso and urges the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to order his immediate release on compassionate health grounds. Jigme Gyatso is currently serving his sentence in Chushul Prison (Ch: Quhui), on the outskirt of Lhasa city.

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