In
March 2005, Free Tibet Campaign launched a
priority campaign, 'Stop the Torture in Tibet.' This ongoing campaign aims
to draw the world's attention to the endemic nature of torture in
Tibet's prisons, detention centres and labour camps. This goes on in secret, despite
China's own claims of prohibiting torture. As of January 2005,
there are estimated to be at least 140 political prisoners in
Tibet. Torture forms a part of their everyday lives. No claims of
torture in Tibetan prisons, either at the point of arrest, questioning
or sentencing, have ever been investigated by the Chinese authorities, Political prisoners are denied proper legal
rights; indeed the legal system is designed to ensure successful
prosecutions.
Over 80% of political prisoners are monks and nuns, who have
historically been at the forefront of the freedom struggle,
speaking out in support of the Dalai Lama. There is no special
treatment for minors; Ngawang Sangdrol, a nun, was tortured at
the age of 13 when she was first imprisoned for nine months. (She
was arrested again at 15 and served 11 years of a 21 year
sentence.)
Political prisoners have been beaten with sticks and belts,
kicked, assaulted with electric shock batons, and denied proper
food, water, sanitation or medical treatment. The use of solitary
confinement exacerbates this abuse, with many prisoners forced to
endure protracted periods of darkness, cold or terrible sanitary
conditions.
The campaign will highlight persistent torture and maltreatment in
Tibet's prisons, detention centres and labour camps. By
highlighting individual political prisoners who have experienced
torture, the aim is to both contribute to their early release
from prison and to bring to an end the practice of torture in
Tibet. Torture has been used by the Chinese authorities to send
the message that political dissent is dangerous and often deadly.
China wants the world to forget the suffering of political
prisoners. We need your help to ensure that this is not the case.
The current case-sheets are listed below. For each case, a
choice of letters to the relevant Chinese authorities have been
prepared which you can print out on your computer and send. You can, of
course, make any changes or additions of your own before printing them
out. Please add your address and the date, and then sign the letter. We
suggest using a 'Window' envelope as availabe from most office
stationers. When suitably folded the Chinese address should display
through the envelope window, saving time and effort. This also gives
the letter a more professional look, so it is less likely to be
discarded by CCP mail-sorting staff.
News:
Two of the Tibet against Torture prisoners are now free: Karma Sonam
escaped from Drapchi, trekked through Nepal to India and is currently
in Dharamsala. Sonam was recently released.
For further details about the campaign and the individual cases go to: www.freetibet.org/campaigns/stoptorture
The letters on this page are in Word/Open Office document format,
and have been scanned to ensure freedom from macros or other viral code.