The executions of Lobsang Gyaltsen and Loyak on 20 October 2009 took place in secret. The executions were not reported in the official Chinese press and were only confirmed by the Chinese authorities after Free Tibet and other groups introduced accountability by reporting the executions and ensuring media coverage for them.

       
                      Kungtsuk, who was given a suspended death sentence and is at severe risk

Reports from inside Tibet suggested that Penkyi, a 21 year-old Tibetan woman who was given a suspended death sentence at the same time as Lobsang Gyaltsen and Loyak were sentenced, and one other unidentified person were also executed on October 20. Reports of the execution of Penkyi and the unidentified person were later retracted.

On confirming the executions of Lobsang Gyaltsen and Loyak the Chinese Embassy in London stated that no further executions were planned; Free Tibet has no faith in this reassurance, particularly in view of the secrecy in which the confirmed executions took place. There has also been a lack of transparency in the related trials and sentencing of Tibetans alleged to have staged arson attacks in Lhasa in March 2008.

Free Tibet is therefore extremely concerned for the welfare of Penkyi, as well as that of Tenzin Phuntsog and Kungtsuk, all of whom were given suspended death sentences in cases closely related to those of Lobsang Gyaltsen and Loyak.

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Penkyi and Kungtsuk, who are still at severe risk
 

Executions highlight ineffectiveness of UK strategies for engaging China on human rights

The executions - which come barely a month after a Foreign Office Minister returned from an official visit to Tibet - challenge directly the effectiveness of Britain’s policy of constructive engagement with China. The British government has even stated that one of the desired outcomes of its engagement with China on human rights is a substantial reduction in China’s application of the death penalty. It is unsurprising therefore that the effectiveness of Britain’s policy has already been called into doubt by Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Select Committee which stated in August 2009 in its Human Rights Annual Report for 2008:

“We conclude that there remains little evidence that the British Government’s policy of constructive dialogue with China has led to any significant improvements in the human rights situation.”

Free Tibet has been lobbying the Foreign Affairs Select Committee and parliamentarians for months for the FASC to stage a formal review into the effectiveness of the UK’s strategy for engaging China on human rights. We have worked with Kate Hoey MP to table the following Early Day Motion:

EDM 345: Human Rights in Tibet and China:

“That this House notes the Foreign Affairs select committee's recent statement that there is little evidence that the Government's policy of constructive engagement is leading to any significant human rights improvements in Tibet and China; further notes that the change made in 2008 by the Government to view Tibet henceforth as part of China was made without parliamentary oversight and has failed to lead to the human rights gains in return that were predicted by the Foreign Secretary at the time; recognises that the Government's weakening commitment to protect human rights in Tibet in recent years has coincided with a dramatic worsening of the human rights situation in Tibet; calls on the Foreign Affairs select committee to conduct a formal inquiry into the effectiveness of strategies being employed by the Government within its overall policy towards China, to protect and promote the human rights of the Tibetan and Chinese people.”

TAKE ACTION!

If you are in the UK, please join Free Tibet’s call for an FASC review into Britain’s strategy for engagement with China on human rights by urging your MP to sign EDM 345

Click here to write to your local MP about the UK's Tibet policy and EDM 345 (UK)
Click here to write to your Senator about the risk to Tibetans (US)
Click here to write or send an email to Chinese representatives (Worldwide)
Click here to read a statement on the executions by parliamentarians
Click here to read more about some of the other political prisoners who are at risk