The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) condemns in strongest term over China’s sentencing of Tibetan Filmmaker Dhondup Wangchen on 28 December 2009. It is not exactly known where his trial took place; however, it was believed that he was tried in a court in Xining, the provincial capital of Qinghai Province, where he had been detained since his arrest. According to Dhondup’s Cousin Gejong Tsetrin living in Switzerland who help distribute the film, the sentence was announced on 28 December 2009.
Dhondup, 35, has been in detention since 26 March 2008, for filming interviews with ordinary Tibetans on their views on the Olympic Games, the Dalai Lama and Chinese government policies in Tibet. His film was first shown to journalists in Beijing two days before the start of the Olympics in August 2008. In the past more than a year since his detention, he was known to be in very poor health suffering from Hepatitis-B and has not received any medical treatment, was denied the right to be represented by the Beijing based lawyer hired by his family in June last year. Dhondup Wangchen was formally arrested in July 2008 under suspicion of “inciting separatism and stealing, secretly gathering, purchasing, and illegally providing intelligence for an organisation, institution, or personnel outside the country.”
Li Dunyong, from the Beijing Gongxin law firm, was blocked from taking on the case by the Xining judicial authorities, who informed Dhondup Wangchen’s family that the court would designate a government-appointed lawyer for the trial, a clear violation of China’s Criminal Procedure Law and its obligations under international human rights law, which guarantee criminal defendants the right to choose their own defense counsel and to meet their counsel while in detention. The calls by rights groups and the exile parliament for fair trial and his unconditional release remain unheeded.
TCHRD calls on the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to respect and uphold the rights guarantee under the domestic laws and various international laws such as right to freedom of expression, opinion and fair trial. The Centre also calls on the government of PRC to earnestly implement the provisions of the Human Rights Action Plan announced on 13 April 2009 that it will not remain a mere document showcasing empty promises. “The National Human Rights Action Plan of China 2009-2010” clearly stated that, “the state is further improving the system of treatment for detainees. The rules regarding detainees’ correspondence, meeting with people, entertainment, and family visits shall be improved. The state is improving the sanitation management system for detainees as well as their medical treatment, and promoting standardized management of detainees’ life and health care…” As a matter of urgency, Dhondup Wangchen should be provided with immediate medical attention as he is suffering from potentially fatal disease, Hepatitis-B