July-December 2010 caselist - PEN International

TIBET AUTONOMOUS REGION(TAR)Imprisoned: Main cases*Tashi DHONDUPD.o.B. 1980 Profession: Singer-song writer Date of arrest: 3 December2009 Sentence: Fifteen months of re-education through labour (RTL)Expires: March 2011 Details of arrest: Arrested on charges of ‘suspicionof incitement to split the nation’. There are reports that sinceOctober 2009, Dhondup had been under pressure by the authorities afterreleasing a CD with controversial political songs. He had been allegedlyhiding in Xinin, Qinghai province, prior to his detention. Some reportssay that Dhondup was badly beaten in detention. Details of the trial:In early January 2010, Dhondup was sentenced to 15 months RTL forwriting ‘subversive’ songs, and was sent to a labour camp. The verdictreportedly refers to a number of his songs, one entitled ‘1958’, whichreportedly compares the 2008 conflicts in Tibet with the Chinese takeoverof Amdo, eastern Tibet, in 1958. Previous political imprisonment/problems: Dhondup was reportedly previously detained in 2008 afterthe release of his previous CD. He is said to be a popular musician andhis CDs were passed among many Tibetans and shared over the internet,after his music was banned.*DHONKHO (aka Rongke, pen-name: Nyen), BHUDHA (penname:Buddha the Destitute) and KHELSANG Jinpa (penname:GarmiProfession: Writers. Date of arrest: 21 June, 26 June and 19 July 2010respectively. Sentence: Four years, four years and three years in prisonrespectively. Expires: 20 June 2014, 25 June 2014 and 18 July 2013respectively. Details of arrest: Reportedly detained in June and July2010 after they published essays about the 2008 crackdown in Tibet inthe Tibetan-language journal Shar Dungri (Eastern Snow Mountain).This collection of writings was the first known material in Tibetan on the2008 protests to have been published in the People’s Republic of China.The magazine was quickly banned, but not before copies had circulated inareas of Qinghai and Gansu provinces and beyond. Details of trial: The‘Eastern Snow Mountain’ writers were put on trial by the Ngaba IntermediatePeople’s Court, Sichuan Province, on 21 October 2010 on chargesof ‘splittism’. The families were informed that they could not havelawyers of their choice, although the writers did have some legal representation.On 30 December 2010 Dhonkho and Bhudha were sentencedto four years in prison, and Kelsang Jinpa to three years, for “incitementto split the nation”. Professional details: Bhudha, aged 34, is a medicaldoctor by profession who works as an editor and writer in his spare time.He has published poems and short stories in the journal Panggyen Metok(Pasture Adorning Flowers) and edited the Tibetan-language journalDuerab Kyi Nga (Modern Self). Believed to be charged for the essay‘Hindsight and reflection’ published in Shar Dungri in 2008. Dhonkhois a prize-winning poet and writer, born in 1978. He is a member of theSichuan Writers Guild and has published several collections of poetryincluding Lharson (Revitalisation) and Thablam (Means). Believed to becharged for the essay ‘What human rights do we have over our bodies?’published in Shar Dungri under the pen name ‘Nyen’ (the ‘Wild One’) in2008. Kelsang Jinpa, a poet and writer originally from Sangchu county,Amdo, Gansu province. Has reportedly published poetry and stories inthe journal Panggyen Metok Pasture Adorning Flowers) and co-editedthe Modern Self periodical. Believed to be charged for his article writtenunder the pen name ‘Garmi’ (‘the Blacksmith’), ‘The case for lifebloodand life-force’, published in Shar Dungri in 2008.Kunchok Tsephel GOPEY TSANGD.o.b.: 1970 Profession: Internet writer and editor of the Tibetanlanguage website Chomei http://www.tibetcm.com Date of arrest: 26February 2009 Sentence: Fifteen years in prison Expires: 25 February2024 Details of arrest: Arrested by Chinese security officials at his homein the town of Nyul-ra, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, GansuProvince. At the time of his arrest, Gopey Tsang’s house was searchedand his computer confiscated. Details of trial: On 12 November 2009 hewas sentenced for ‘disclosing state secrets’. His family was not told ofhis whereabouts until he was summoned to court to hear the verdict. Thetrial was held at the Intermediate People’s Court of Kanlho, in a closedhearing. Professional details: Chomei website, which promotes Tibetanculture and literature, was created by Gopey Tsang and Tibetan poetKyab-chen De-drol in 2005 and since then has been closely monitored bythe authorities. It is said that the site was shut down several times during2007 and 2008. Gopey Tsang also worked as an environmental officer forthe Chinese government. Health concerns: There are fears for his health.Previous political imprisonment/problems: In 1995 Kunchok TsephelGopey Tsang was held for two months by Public Security Bureau officialson unknown charges, and was reportedly ill-treated in detention.(RAN 16/09 – 17 March 2009; Update #1 – 23 November 2009).Dawa GYALTSEND.o.b.: 1969. Profession: Studied banking and accountancy, and workedfor a bank. Date of arrest: November 1995 Sentence: 18 years imprisonment.Expires: November 2013 Details of arrest: Arrested forwriting pro-independence pamphlets which were posted in April 1995as part of a widespread protest against the Chinese authorities. Thepamphlets reportedly contained a brief history of Tibet as an independentnation and pro-independence slogans. Details of trial: In May 1996,Nagchu Prefecture Intermediate People’s Court sentenced Gyalsten toeighteen years’ imprisonment on charges of carrying out “counter-revolutionarypropaganda”. His brother Nyima Gyaltsen was sentenced tothirteen years’ imprisonment for leading the protest. Three other monksco-accused with the Gyaltsen brothers were sentenced to lesser termsranging from two-six years for their participation in the protest, and havenow been freed on expiry of their sentences. Place of detention: TibetAutonomous Region Prison (formerly Drapchi Prison), Lhasa. Treatmentin prison: Said to have been severely tortured whilst under interrogation.Honorary member: PEN America.Dolma KYABProfession: Writer and teacher. Date of arrest: 9 March 2005. Sentence:Ten and a half years in prison. Expires: 8 October 2015. Details ofarrest: Dolma Kyab was reportedly arrested in the city of Lhasa for allegedlyendangering state security in his book. The charges against DolmaKyab appear to be based on his unpublished book Sao dong de Ximalayasha(The Restless Himalayas). In another book, Dolma Kyab reportedlygives sensitive information on issues such as the location and numberof Chinese military camps in Tibet. Following his pre-trial detentionat the Tibetan Autonomous Region Public Security Bureau DetentionCentre, also known as the ‘Seitru’, Dolma Kyab reportedly contracted49