Latest News and Actions

Free Tibet Campaign condemns China for the execution of 28 year old farmer Lobsang Dhondup on Sunday 26 January. He had been sentenced to death for alleged involvement in a bomb blast in Chengdu in April 2002. This is the first known execution of a Tibetan for offences linked to political activities for as long as a decade.

Free Tibet Campaign is demanding that the UK Government hold China to account for the misleading information it provided about these cases. Free Tibet Campaign confronted the Chinese Ambassador with noisy protests in London on Monday. Indeed, the secrecy and haste in which Lobsang Dhondup has been executed shows that Beijing is determined to quash what it calls 'separatism', and raises legitimate cause for doubt over China's sincerity in moving towards dialogue over the future of Tibet.

According to foreign news agencies, an unnamed official at the Kardze Intermediate People's Court, Sichuan Province said that Lobsang Dhondup was executed on Sunday 26 January, immediately after the court upheld the original death sentence passed on 2 December 2002. The Sichuan Provincial High People's Court also rejected an appeal by Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche, a prominent Buddhist leader, and affirmed his suspended death sentence, the official said. It is usual for this type of sentence to be commuted to a life sentence. Both men were accused of involvement in a bombing incident in Chengdu last April. Although detailed information about the cases is scarce, there are grounds for serious doubt about the substance of the allegations, the fairness of the trials and the treatment of the prisoners. Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche has reportedly been defiant throughout the process and repeatedly expressed his support for the Dalai Lama. In a smuggled out tape recording on 18 January, Rinpoche asserted his innocence, stating that, "Whatever (the authorities) do and say, I am completely innocent."

Mystery surrounded the legal proceedings which led to the execution. Conflicting reports suggested that a 'retrial' had started and been abruptly terminated on 10 January, but the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs told the EU that proceedings were ongoing and due to the complexity of the cases it would be some time before the verdicts were known. The original trial had been in a public court but the appeal was behind closed doors, apparently because the cases involved 'state secrets'. As for the execution itself, questions remain over whether the death sentence was approved by the Chinese Supreme People's Court as stipulated in Chinese criminal law.

China has withheld information from the US/China dialogue about a number of other arrests connected to the case. It appears that at least four other men have been held without charge since April/May 2002. They are Tsultrim Dargye, Tamdrin Tsering, Ashar Dhargye, Tashi Phuntsok whilst another two young men called Choetsom and Pasang disappeared following their interrogation by the Chinese authorities. In addition, a 65-70 year old village leader called Jortse (also known as Tserang Dondrup) was sentenced to 5 yearsimprisonment last year and it has been reported that he has lost all mobility in his legs following his arrest. Jortse had previously rallied to the defence of Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche in 2000 when the authorities targeted the Rinpoche.

Register your condemnation with the Chinese Embassy and authorities now!