Freedom for Dhondup Wangchen

To:  Amnesty international

Dhondup Wangchen, a Tibetan documentary-maker, is awaiting trial for “inciting separatism” in Xining city, the capital of Qinghai province in western China. The authorities have forced his lawyers to stop representing him, casting doubts over the fairness of his trial proceedings. He is a prisoner of conscience, detained for his peaceful exercise of the right to freedom of expression.

Dhondup Wangchen was detained on 26 March 2008. After about three months in custody, he escaped while held in an unofficial place of detention, but was re-detained and is now held in Xining City No.1 Detention Center. He was tortured and ill-treated while being interrogated in 2008. He suffers from Hepatitis B, for which he is not being treated. His family received no official notification of his whereabouts or reason for his detention until April 2009.

In early 2009, Dhondup Wangchen’s family appointed two lawyers to defend him but police prohibited their meetings with Dhondup Wangchen on the grounds that his case involved state secrets. They were only allowed to meet him once, in April. On 13 July, Beijing judicial authorities told his lawyers, who are based in Beijing, to drop the case because of a new rule that only permits lawyers based in the province where a case has been filed to take it up. Violations of the rule will be punished by revoking lawyers’ professional license. There is however no such limitation in China's law on lawyers. Only a few lawyers in China take the risk of representing victims of human rights violations. Recently, six well-known human rights lawyers had their licenses revoked and at least 14 more are awaiting the final results of an annual assessment of their licenses.

DHONDUP WANGCHEN, IN HIS OWN WORDS:

The idea of our film is not to get famous or to give entertainment. But at a time of great difficulty and a feeling of helplessness, it is for us to show such a film to get some meaningful response and results. It is very difficult [for Tibetans] to go to Beijing and speak out there.
So that is why we decided to show the real feelings of Tibetans inside Tibet through this film.
Nowadays, China is declaring that they are preserving and improving Tibetan culture and language. That’s what they’re telling the world. Many organizations and offices have been set up for these things. What they say and what they do are totally different, opposites. If they really want to preserve and improve Tibetan culture and language in Tibet then they should withdraw Chinese people living in Tibetan areas. Tibetan culture and language has to be practiced in all Tibetan areas. If it’s not practiced, how can it be preserved?

The desire to demonstrate against the Chinese hosting of the Olympic Games was strong in me since long ago and I think I will still do it... I think I need to stand up for the Tibetans and this is where I need to go. Staying away from my children and family is one of the hardships, if

I live on.


Dhondup Wangchen will probably die at hands of China authorities unless the world can show the same kind of power build in compassion for others and immeasurable courage to deliver the truth for the benefit of all beings, despite the real danger for himself.

Please world, follow his example and care! Let your global children know they will grow in a planet where freewill an liberty are protected as the most valuable treasure for mankind and take the kind of action that matters. Show us that Dhondup Wangchen and the Tibetan people as well as others with their rights taken away are of your concern and let the future generations grow in sublime freedom and proud of what you have done for them.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

The Freedom for Dhondup Wangchen Petition to Amnesty international was created by and written by Jorge Gusmão (jorge.m.gusmao@gmail.com).  This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.