Dharamshala: TibetPost-22-April-Xinhua, the official mouthpiece of Chinese government, today reported the sentencing of Penkyi (aged 21) of Sakya County to "suspended death penalty", Penkyi (aged 23) from Nyinmo County to life term and Chime Lhamo (aged 20) to 10 years imprisonment for starting fires in two downtown clothing shops on March 14, 2008.
Dharamshala: TibetPost-22-April-Xinhua, the official mouthpiece of Chinese government, today reported the sentencing of Penkyi (aged 21) of Sakya County to "suspended death penalty", Penkyi (aged 23) from Nyinmo County to life term and Chime Lhamo (aged 20) to 10 years imprisonment for starting fires in two downtown clothing shops on March 14, 2008. The exile Tibetan NGOs hold a mass candle light vigil with reciting prayers for the victims, around 600 people gathered for the event.The Exile Tibetan NGOs; Tibetan Women's Association, National Democratic Party of Tibet, Guchusum Moment of Tibet and Students for a Free Tibet - India urge the Chinese authority to conduct fair and open trails for the convicted Tibetans. We also call on the Chinese authorities to respect national procedural rights and give rights to all the detained Tibetans to independently choose their own lawyers, as stressed in two-year human rights action plan issued by the Chinese government on 13 April 2009.
The Chinese authorities - by sentencing the three Tibetan women - truly undermine the principles of the international human rights bodies and governments amidst the global economic recession where it is believed to have an upper hand. This kind of injustice is intolerable, and therefore, we urge all the freedom loving people of the world to support us during this critical period facing Tibet and Tibetans.
Today's sentence follows two weeks after the Lhasa Intermediate People's Court sentenced five Tibetans on charges of arson case. On April 8, Lobsang Gyaltsen and Loyak were given death sentences with immediate effect, while Tenzin Phuntsok and Khantsug received death sentence with two years reprieve and Dawa Sangpo was sentenced to life in jail.
The inhuman treatment of Tibetans inside Tibet is appalling and such act is a gross violation of international human right laws. Therefore, we call on the International bodies, Governments, and Human Rights activists to assert pressure on the Chinese government to comply with the international human rights accords and to ensure that all accused receive fair and open trial and that justice doesn't evade the fate of the Tibetans inside Tibet.
