Fear for the safety of monk Geshe Tsultrim Gyatso whose whereabouts are unknown since his arrest

The International Secretariat of the WorldOrganisation Against Torture (OMCT)requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in the People’s Republic of China.

Brief description of the situation

TheInternationalSecretariat of OMCT has been informed by The Tibetan Centre for Human Rightsand Democracy (TCHRD), a member of OMCT SOS-Torture Network, about the arrestand disappearance of a monk of the Dhitsa Monastery in Gonghuo County, Tsolo Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture(TAP), namely the 40-years-old monkGeshe Tsultrim Gyatso. He was arrested by members of the Qinghai NationalSecurity police in Trika County, Quinghai Province. OMCT fears that he may be at risk of torture andill-treatment.

According to the information received, Geshe TsultrimGyatso, originally from Gonghuo County, Changshey Township, Tsolo Tap, Qinghai Province, was arrested on 14October 2011 inthe Tongchey National School, Trinka county in Quinghai Province. He was arrested by the police at theschool where he gave a talk. The chargesagainst him and his current whereabouts remain unclear. No arrest warrant wasissued and his family has not been informed about his whereabouts. According tothe source he could possibly be kept in Siling/Xining, a city in Qinghai.

Geshe Tsultrim Gyatsostudied and earned his “Geshe” degree at the Dhitsa Monastery. He is the ViceChairman of “Tsong-kha Kiri Charitable Foundation” that provides care andsupport to aged people and pays school fees for those children whose familiescannot afford it. Furthermore, he is the Vice President of the monastery’sDemocratic Management Committee (DMC)[1].

Concerning the DhitsaMonastery, in March 2010, the police arrested one Trulku (reincarnated Lama)and two monks from the aforementioned Monastery based on suspicions of theirinvolvement in the dissemination of political pamphlets in and around theMonastery. According to the information received Geshe Tsultrim Gyatso had noinvolvement in political acts. But he is a well-known intellectual in the areaand has emphasized on the conservation of Tibetan tradition and language andalready many times he has been invited to lecture at various schools andinstitutions.

The International Secretariat of OMCT isgravely concerned about the safety of monk Geshe Tsultrim Gyatso, as his whereabouts and fate remains unknown.OMCT fearsthat hey may be subjected to torture or other ill-treatment. OMCT urges thecompetent authorities to guarantee their physical and psychological integrityat all times, in accordance with international human rights law, in particularthe Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman orDegrading Treatment or Punishment, and to immediately locate and disclose his whereabouts.Enforced disappearance and torture and other ill-treatment constitute serioushuman rights violations and are strictly prohibited under international law.

ActionsRequested

Please write to theauthorities in the People’s Republic of China urging them to:

i. Immediatelylocate and disclose the whereabouts of monk Geshe Tsultrim Gyatso;

ii. Guarantee,in all circumstances, his physical and psychological integrity;

iii. Grant himimmediate and full access to a lawyer of his choice and his family, as well asguarantee that he is examined by independent doctors and receives adequatemedical care if necessary, in accordance, interalia, with the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners;

iv. Order his immediate release in the absence of validlegal charges that areconsistent with international law and standards, or, if such charges exist,bring him before an impartial, independent and competent tribunal and guaranteehis procedural rights at all times;

v. Guaranteetherespect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country inaccordance with national laws and international human rights standards.

Addresses

· Mr. WenJiabao, Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of China, Guojia Zongli, TheState Council General Office, 2 Fuyoujie, Xichengqu, Beijingshi 100017,People’s Republic of China, Fax: +86 10 65961109 (c/oMinistry of Foreign Affairs)

· Mr. Wu Aiying, Minister of Justice of thePeople’s Republic of China, Buzhang Sifabu, 10 Chaoyangmen Nandajie,Chaoyangqu, Beijingshi 100020, People’s Republic of China, Fax: +86 10 65292345, minister@legalinfo.gov.cn / pfmaster@legalinfo.gov.cn

· Mr. Meng Jianzhu,Minister of Public Security of the People’s Republic of China, Buzhang,Gong’anbu, 14 Dongchang’anjie, Dongchengqu, Beijingshi 100741, People’sRepublic of China, Fax: +86 1063099216

• Director of the Sichuan ProvincialDepartment of Justice, Sifating, 24 Shangxiznglu, Chengdushi 610015,Sichuansheng, People's Republic of China

· Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China, Ch. De Surville, CP 85, 1213Petit-Lancy 2, Suisse, e-mail: mission.china@ties.itu.int, Fax : +41 22 793 7014

Please also write to the embassies of the People’s Republic of China in your respective country.

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Geneva, 28 October 2011

Kindly inform us of anyaction undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.

[1] Members of the DMC arenuns and monks who administer a monastery or a nunnery and who have toimplement the government’s regulations on religion.