death penalty

26/05/2010 News

Lhasa Court sentences one Tibetan to death and five to lengthy prison terms

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.

01/07/2006 News / Thematic Reports

Death Penalty in China: 2005 Special Report

Read the full report here.

27/01/2005 News

Trulku’s death sentence commuted to life

The Chinese government has commuted the death sentence on Trulku Tenzin Delek to life imprisonment. “ The Higher People’s Court in Sichuan province, in Southwestern China, commuted the death penalty with two-year reprieve for a Tibetan monk involve in terrorist bombings to life term on Wednesday”, Xinhua, the official news agency of the People’s Republic of China reported.

The court verdict also said, “A’an Zhaxi, also known as Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, was deprived of his political rights for life, which was handed down to him during the day.”

The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) believes that the verdict was widely expected considering past record of such similar cases. Despite the news of a life sentence for Trulku, TCHRD strongly urges the Chinese government to conduct a fair re-trial while allowing Trulku legal representation of his own choosing.

16/12/2004 News

Life sentence for Bangri Rinpoche commuted to 19 years prison term

The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy received reliable information on Bangri Rinpoche’s arrest of 26 August 1999. (Ref: TCHRD Update January 2000 & December 2003) (Background detail on Bangri Rinpoche attached below)

It has come to light through reliable sources to TCHRD- that in September 2001, Bangri Rinpoche was senteced to life by the Lhasa Municipality Intermediate People’s Court for attempting to ‘split’ the country.

Nyima Choedon, Bangri Rinpoche’s wife was sentenced to ten years imprisonment for the same charge. On 29 May 2001, both were shifted to Drapchi Prison in the north of Lhasa City and were incarcerated in solitary confinement for more than a year. They were later shifted to prison unit no. 5 meant for prisoners with political charges.