Death in Lhasa

By Václav Havel, El Hassan Bin Talal, Desmond Tutu, André Glucksmann, and Vartan Gregorian

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Prague. On April 8, two Tibetans, Lobsan Gyaltsen and Loyak, were sentenced to death by the Municipal Intermediate People’s Court in Lhasa. Both men were convicted of committing arson that caused death against Chinese owned businesses. Another two Tibetan activists, Tenzin Phuntsok and Kangtsuk, received a suspended death sentence, and a third, Dawa Sangpo was sentenced by the same court to life imprisonment.

These latest verdicts are the first death sentences meted out by Chinese courts to those who took part in protests that swept Lhasa and other Tibetan cities in the spring of 2008. Since these trials took place in complete isolation from the rest of the world, with no impartial observers or foreign journalists present, it is to be doubted, strongly, that the defendants received anything remotely like a fair trial in accordance with international judicial standards.

We therefore appeal to the authorities of the People’s Republic of China to rescind the decision to execute these protesters, and to provide them with an opportunity to be re-tried in a judicial process that is more in keeping with the international standards that China says that it adheres to. And the first standard that must be met is that the trial, first of all, must be verifiable and open to international observation.

But beyond the grim fates of the Tibetans that have now been sentenced by the Tibetan court to death or life imprisonment for the protests that took place a year ago, we are also concerned about the hundreds of other detained protesters who have yet to be tried by the Municipal Court in Lhasa. Indeed, it is our belief that the recent death sentences could mark the onset of an avalanche of highly doubtful Court rulings in Tibet, which could lead to a worrying number of executions in that tense and troubled region.

If China is to gain an international position of respect commensurate with its position in the world economy, as well as to benefit from its rise to pre-eminence among the world economic powers, it is vital that China’s representatives in Tibet acknowledge the need for due legal process for all of its citizens, including its ethnic minorities.

Tied to that sense of due process of law is a call for the Chinese leadership to allow representatives of the international community to have access to Tibet and its adjoining provinces. For these provinces have now been, for the most part, cut off from international observation ever since the protests that wracked Tibet last spring.

Only by making its rule in Tibet more transparent for the rest of the world can the government of the People’s Republic of China dispel the dark shadows of suspicion that now hang over Tibet. Only by allowing an international presence to report, dispassionately and truthfully, on what is happening in Tibet, will China’s government dispel the idea that its continued rule there means that even more severe human rights abuses will be inflicted on members of China’s ethnic minorities.

The authors of this appeal are Václav Havel, a former President of the Czech Republic; Prince Hassan Bin Talal, President of the Arab Thought Forum; Desmond Tutu, Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate; Vartan Gregorian, a former president of Brown University and President of the Carnegie Council and André Glucksmann, a French philosopher. With thanks to Forum 2000 www.forum2000.cz

[CLICK HERE to read this appeal in Spanish]

Since publication, this appeal has also attracted the support of the following (listed in order of signing) plus more than 7,200 people around the world:

Joanna Lumley, Actress and Campaigner, UK.
Chris Mullin, Journalist and Author, Member of Parliament for Sunderland South, UK.
Ed O'Brien and Colin Greenwood of Radiohead, UK.
Claude B. Levenson, Writer and Journalist, France.
Harry Cohen, Member of Parliament for Leyton and Wanstead and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Tibet, UK.
Kenneth Roth, Executive Director, Human Rights Watch, USA.
Norman Baker, Member of Parliament for Lewes, UK.
Fabian Hamilton, Member of Parliament for Leeds North East, UK.
Tim Loughton, Member of Parliament for East Worthing and Shoreham, UK.
Ruben Loza Aguerrebere, Lawyer, Writer and Journalist, Uruguay.
Tommy Heinrich, photographer and mountaineer; first Argentinian to climb Mount Everest.
Julie Morgan, Member of Parliament for Cardiff North, UK.
Mr. Michael Danby MP, Convenor, Australian All-Party Parliamentary Group for Tibet.
Ms. Melissa Parke MP, Federal Member for Freemantle, Australia.
Professor John Langmore, Department of Political Science, University of Melbourne, Australia.
Associate Professor Damien Kingsbury, School of International and Political Studies, Deakin University, Australia.
Piers Akerman, Columnist The Daily Telegraph, Australia.
Mr. Nick Mckim, State Member for Franklin Tasmania, Australia.
Ms. Jenny Mikakos MP, State Member for Northern Metropolitan Region, Victoria, Australia.
Mr. Don Nardella MP, State Member for Melton, Victoria, Australia.
Chin Jin, Chair, Federation for a Democratic China, Australia. Federation for a Democratic China, Australia, has also signed on as an organization.
FW de Klerk, Nobel Laureate and former President of South Africa.
Lord Avebury, member of the Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Team, UK.
Lord David Alton, founder of The Jubilee Campaign, Director of the Foundation for Citizenship, UK.
Robert A. F. Thurman, Jey Tsong Khapa Professor, Columbia University, USA.
Clive Hamilton, Professor of Public Ethics at Australia National University and former Executive Director of The Australia Institute.
Lech Walesa, Nobel Peace Laureate, Poland.
Wislawa Szymborska, poet, Nobel Literature Laureate, Poland.
Tadeusz Mazowiecki, former Prime Minister of Poland (of Poland's first non-communist government).
Jerzy Stepien, Marek Safjan & Andrzej Zoll, former Presidents of Polish Constitutional Tribunal.
Adam Michnik, Editor in Chief of the Gazeta Wyborcza, anti-communist activist and former political prisoner, Poland.
Richard Gere, Actor, Social Activist and Chair of the International Campaign for Tibet, USA.
Shri M. A. Khavel Swani, MP, Orissa, India.
Shri Kiran Rijiju, MP, Arunachal Pradesh, India.
Shri. Satpal Satti, Members of Legislative Assembly (MLA), Himachal Pradesh, India.
Shri Verender Kanwar, MLA, Himachal Pradesh, India.
Dr. R.N. Pal, former pro-vice chancellor, Panjabi University, Patiala (Punjab), India.
Shree. Ram Joshi, Editor, Hindustan Samachar News Agency, New Delhi, India.
Chaudary Swarna Ram, Social Welfare Minister, Punjab Govt. Chandigarh, India.
Dr. Dharam pal Maini, Former Chairman, Hindi Department, Punjab University, Chandigarh, India.
Dr. Mantirini Prasad, Joint Director, Bharat Vidya Sankul, Ajmir University, Ajmir, Rajastan, India.
Patricia Chapoy. General Director of the Showbusiness Area, TV Azteca México.
Janina Kursite, Profesor of University of Latvia, true member of the Latvian Academy of Sciences, Latvia.
Andris Buikis, Prof. Dr. hab. math., true member of the Latvian Academy of Sciences, Latvia.
Sandra Kalniete, deputy of Saeima, Latvia.
Juris Kronbergs, poet, Latvia.
Nora Ikstena, writer, Latvia.
Aivars Eipurs, writer, Latvia.
Liana Langa, poet, Latvia.
Peteris Draguns, poet, Latvia.
Gundega Repse, writer, Latvia.
Edvins Raups, poet, Latvia.
Laima Muktupavela, writer, Latvia.
Peteris Apinis, Editor-in-chief of the World Medical Journal of the World Medical Association and president of Latvian Medical Association, Latvia.
Juris Rubenis, Dr of theology, Latvia.
Marina Kostenecka, writer, Latvia.
Sandr Riga, writer, Latvia.
Silva Bendrate, deputy of Parliament of Latvia (9 session), Head of parliamentary group of Tibet support, Latvia.
Ieva Kolmane, philosopher and translator, Latvia.
Silvija Brice, translator, Latvia.
Ronalds Briedis, poet, Latvia.
Ieva Struka, theatre scientist, Latvia.
Dace Meiere, translator, Latvia.
Janis Rokpelnis, poet, Latvia.
Rute Lejiņa, translator, Latvia.
Maris Berzins, writer, Latvia.
Ainars Zelcs, writer, Latvia.
Guntis Berelis, writer, Latvia.
Janis Martins Skuja, Knight of Malta, Founder and member of Foundation Latvia for Tibet, Latvia
Voldemars Avens, poet and painter, Latvia
Irene Avena, Art scientist and bibliographer, Latvia
Sigma Ankrava, Professor of University of Latvia, Latvia
Dainis Grinvalds, dramatist, Latvia
Ieva Akuratere, singer, Three star order cavalier, Latvia
Agita Draguna, writer, Latvia
Inguna Ribena, deputy of Parliament of Latvia (9 session), Latvia
Rebiya Kadeer, Uyghur businesswoman and political activist, USA.
Kuranda Seyit, President of the Australian Uyghur Association, Australia.
Aina Vavere, teacher and writer, Australia
Lord David Steel, former leader of the Liberal Party and former Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, UK.
Gabriela Botello RDZ, Journalist, TV Azteca, Mexico.
Ela Gandhi, peace activist, grand-daughter of Mahatma Gandhi, former member of the South African Parliament, South Africa
Magdalena Salgado Campos, Production Administrative Manager, TV Azteca, Mexico.
German Wing Varel, teacher and a lawyer also from TV Aztec, Mexico.
Ieva Dubina, candidate for doctor's degree, University of Latvia, Latvia.
Visvaldis Lacis, deputy of Parliament (9.session), Latvia
Velta Kaltina, poet, Latvia.
Roalds Dobrovenskis, writer, Latvia.
Senator Scott Ludlam, Federal Senator for Western Australia, Australia.
Annie Lennox, singer and human rights advocate, UK.
Dr Gaby Naher, Writer, Chair of Sydney PEN's Writers in Prison Committee, Australia.
Mr. Alexander van der Bellen, Member of Parliament, Austria.
Ms. Madeleine Petrovic, Member of Parliament, Austria.
Lisa Fitz, German comedian, author and actres, Germany.
Roger Willemsen, publicist, author, essayist, Germany.
Claudia Roth, Head of the Green Party, Germany.
Dr. Franz Alt and Bigi Alt, TV-Journalists, Germany
Senator Bob Brown, Federal Senator for Tasmania and leader of the Australian Greens, Australia.
Florian Toncar, Member of the German Bundestag, Free Democratic Party, Germany.
Ulrike Lunacek, MP Green Party, Chairperson of the European Greens and candidate for the elections to European Parliament, Austria.
Dr. Alexander van der Bellen, MP Green Party, former head of the Green Party, Austria.
Dr. Madeleine Petrovic, Head of the Green Party in the province of Lower Austria.
Dr. Heiner Geissler; former Federal Minister, Germany.
M S Sondhi, Writer, New Delhi, India.
Mahavir Tyagi, Social Activist, Haryana, India.

Additionally, more than 5,000 supporters have sent emails to China's Ministry of Justice on behalf of Lobsang Gyaltsen and Loyak.