arbitrary detention – Page 4

29/12/2013 News

Extrajudicial detention still a major issue despite RTL abolition

On Saturday 28 December 2013, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee voted to abolish Re-education Through Labor (RTL; Ch: laojiao). This fulfills the promise the People’s Republic of China made in the 3rd Plenum Decision on 15 November 2013 to abolish the 56 year old Chinese system of gulags that had been used to imprison people in forced labor camps for up to four years.

When the National People’s Congress Standing Committee announced the abolition of RTL, it stated that it was because changes made to Chinese laws had made RTL redundant and it had fulfilled its historic mission. This justification fails to recognize the fundamental problems inherent in RTL. It ignores the substantial criticism of RTL for being an illegal system of arbitrary detention, forced labor, and torture. Internationally, numerous States, NGOs, and international organizations, including the United Nations criticized RTL for violating international human rights law.

03/04/2013 News

Prominent political prisoner in critical condition on release after 17 years

A prominent Tibetan political prisoner, Jigme Gyatso, 52, was released recently after completing his 17 years’ prison term, according to exile Tibetan sources.

After his release, he is said to be in poor health struggling with multiple medical problems including weak eyesight, heart complications, kidney disorder and difficulty walking: all unmistakable signs that he had undergone years of torture, mistreatment and beatings during his imprisonment.

In April 2009, TCHRD issued an urgent statement calling for Jigme Gyatso’s release on medical grounds, after learning that Gyatso was seriously ill.[i] TCHRD’s concerns were based on the long history of Gyatso’s mistreatment and torture in detention centres and prisons in Tibet. Moreover, in February 2009, when relatives met Gyatso at Drapchi Prison Hospital, he appeared very frail and was suffering from a kidney problem. He could only walk with his back bended.

21/08/2012 News

Senior monk sentenced to 7 years for sharing information

A senior Tibetan monk who went missing for eight months since his arbitrary arrest last October has been sentenced to seven years in prison for ‘sharing pictures of nun Tenzin Wangmo and information related to her self-immolation protest with outsider’ by an Intermediate People’s Court in Ngaba (Ch: Aba) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province.

The sentence was passed on 18 June 2012 by an Intermediate People’s Court in Ngaba Prefecture.

The charges leveled against Yonten Gyatso, 37, a monk who had held various official posts at his Khashi Monastery in Ngaba County also included “sharing information since 2008 about political events in Tibet by attempting to make telephone calls to human rights mechanisms of the UN”, a source tells TCHRD.

13/10/2010 News

Nun mentally unstable after torture in detention

A Tibetan nun jailed in May 2008 had become “mentally unsound” after being reportedly tortured in prison and was handed over to her family in September 2008, according to reliable information received by Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD).

On 14 May 2008, the Chinese Public Security Bureau (PSP) and People’s Armed Police(PAP) arrested Sonam Choedon, 36, a nun of Puruna Nunnery in Lhoba Township, Kardze (Ch: Ganzi) County, Kardze “Tibet Autonomous Prefecture”, Sichuan Province.

Sources told TCHRD that Sonam Choedon suffered severe head injury after being hit on her head several times with rifle butt during her detention. Her head injury seems to have rendered her mentally unstable and she is said to be crying constantly at her home and requires 24 hours care.

10/03/2010 News

China detains hundreds of Tibetans in Lhasa under “Strike Hard Campaign”

With the launch of “Strike Hard” Campaign in the “Tibet Autonomous Region” (‘TAR’) from 2nd March, the Chinese security forces had detained nearly 500 Tibetans alone from Lhasa city alone, according to reports given in the state run web portal.

According to the official report dated 4 March 2010 given in the state run web portal www.chinatibet.com, “during the campaign, the Lhasa City Public Security Bureau Police Brigade (Ch: Lasa Gong An Ju Xing Jing Zhi Dui) raided a total of 4,115 rented accommodations, thoroughly checked 60 high prone areas where crime is concentrated, gathering areas for floating population, places with complex social order and iniquity, carried out comprehensive checks on a total of 7,347 non-permanent residents of the city, raided more than 70 guest houses, internet cafes, entertainment centre and bars; and detained a total of 435 people. Of these 7 were arrested on theft and burglary, 3 persons on stealing motor bikes, 1 person for duping, 3 others suspected burglary accomplices.” There is no detail information or reasons were given on the remaining people who were arbitrarily detained during the “strike hard” campaign launched since 2 March 2010.

28/04/2009 News

China detains three Tibetan monks in Nagchu County

According to confirmed information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), the Chinese authorities in Nagchu County, Nagchu Prefecture, “Tibet Autonomous Region” (“TAR”) has secretly detained three Tibetan Buddhist monks. On 11 April 2009, Nagchu Public Security Bureau (PSB) detained Khensur Thupten Thapkhey, 47, a former abbot of Shapten Monastery and a 34-year old scripture master,…

03/04/2009 News

China arrests two nuns of Dragkar Nunnery in Kardze

Chinese security forces in Kardze County (Ch: Ganzi), Sichuan Province, has severely beaten and arrested two nuns of Dragkar nunnery for shouting slogans, according to information received by the Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) from reliable sources. Two nuns, Yangkyi Dolma and Sonam Yangchen, of Dragkar Nunnery in Kardze County, Kardze (Ch: Ganzi)”Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture”(“TAP”), Sichuan Province,…

23/03/2009 News

Three more Tibetans arrested in connection with Farming Boycott Movement

Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) received confirmed information from multiple sources that three more Tibetans from Kardze region were again arrested by Chinese authorities on 21 March 2009, under the on-going farming boycott movement in the Tibetan region of Kardze in Sichuan Province.

Dhunka Dorjee, age 40, Tsering Wangrak, age 40 and Pachen, age 30, all from Khang-Nyin-Nang Village, Lhoe-pa Township, Kardze County, Kardze “Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture” (“TAP”), Sichuan Province, were arrested by Kardze County Public Security Bureau (PSB) forces on alleged charges for their involvement in the farming boycott movement. Sources also told TCHRD that, an unidentified Tibetan fled towards mountain nearby when PSB forces came to arrest him. Earlier on 19 March 2009, a 27-year-old Jampa Dhondup, a monk of Tse-Tsang Monastery was arrested over his involvement in the same farming boycott movement.

18/05/2008 News

China arrests 55 nuns of Pang-ri Nunnery for protesting

Over 55 nuns in Kardze protested against the Chinese authorities on 14 May 2008 according to reliable information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD).

The protest was carried out by nuns of Pang Na Tashi Gepheling Nunnery situated in Su-ngo Township, Kardze County, (Ch: Ganzi) Kardze “TAP”, Sichuan Province on 14 May 2008. The nunnery is about 2 kilometers away from the Kardze County government headquarter. Pang-ri Nunnery housed 80 nuns on regular days.

09/05/2008 News

China detains 32 monks in Chushul County

China detains 32 monks of Ratoe Monastery in Chushul Public Security Bureau (PSB) Detention Centre, according to reliable information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD).

According to multiple sources, the monks of Ratoe Monastery staged a major peaceful protest on 14 March 2008 in Nyethang Township, Chushul County, Lhasa Municipality, “Tibet Autonomous Region” (“TAR”).

The peaceful protest was initially led by a group of monks of Ratoe Monastery but later joined by ordinary Tibetans. The protesters marched for about two and half kilometers heading to the Township government head office demanding “Freedom in Tibet”, “Independence for Tibet” and “Long Live Dalai Lama”.

12/08/2004 News

Arbitrary detention intensified for exile Tibetan returnees

According to confirmed information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy,(TCHRD). Chinese authorities in Tibet have arbitrarily detained and slapped heavy fine on Tibetan returnees from exile in India without any formal political charges. As in the past many young and minor Tibetans brave various obstacles to seek freedom of religious practice in monasteries or to join educational institutions set up by Tibetan exile government in India with impending objective of returning to Tibet.

Gedun Tsundue, a monk of “Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture,”(TAP) Qinghai Province, escaped into exile and joined Kirti monastery based in Dharamsala and Jamphel Gyatso, a monk of Jadel Khangtsen of Sera Jhe Monastery in South India returned to Tibet after completing their studies in February 2004. According to confirmed information received by the Center, both were reported to be arbitrarily detained for four months before being handed over to the concerned Chinese authorities in Golog Region and fined 4,500 Yuan each.