Follow-up of case CHN 280409: Release after completing his 17 years’s prison term of Mr. Jigme Gyatso, a 52-year-old Tibetan political prisoner from Amdo Kersul. OMCT remains concern about his poor health

Follow-up of case CHN 280409

Release/Poor health conditions

The InternationalSecretariat of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) has received newinformation on the following situation in the People’s Republic of China.

Brief description of the situation

The InternationalSecretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rightsand Democracy (TCHRD), a member of OMCT SOS-Torture Network, about the recentrelease after completing his 17 years’s prison term of Mr. Jigme Gyatso, a 52-year-old Tibetan political prisoner from AmdoKersul. OMCT remains concern about his poor health conditions.

According to theinformation received, Mr. Jigme Gyatso is in poor health struggling withmultiple medical problems, including weak eyesight, heart complications, kidneydisorder and difficult walking, probably due to the lack of adequate medicalcare, poor conditions of detention and torture.

According to thesame information received, Mr. Jigme Gyatso was detained on 30 March 1996 infront of the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa and sentenced on 25 November 1996 to 15years imprisonment and five years deprivation of political rights by the LhasaMunicipal Intermediate People’s Court on charges of « endangering nationalsecurity » in connection with establishing an illegal organisation and« incitement ». He was detained in Gutsa Public Security BureauDetention Centre for one year and a month, where he was tortured. In April1997, he was transferred to Drapchi Prison where he served most of his prisonterms before his transfer to and incarceration in Chushul Prison in April 2005.Depsite being seriously ill, he continued to serve his sentence in ChushulPrison. His sentence was reportedly extended for two years in May 2004 aftershouting pro-Dalai Lama slogans.

OMCT welcomes the release of Mr. JigmeGyatso. However, OMCT recalls that the Chinese authorities have to fulfil their obligations underinternational human rights law to bringing to justice those responsible forcommitting human rights violations and to providing justice for victims.

Therefore, OMCTurges the competent authorities to carry out a prompt, effective, thorough, independent and impartialinvestigation into the allegations of torture and ill-treatment committedon Mr. Jigme Gyatso during his arrest and detention, in accordance withinternational human rights standards, the result of which must be made public,in order to bring those responsible before a competent, independent andimpartial tribunal and apply penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions asprovided by law.

Background information

OMCT had beenearlier informed about the precarious health conditions of Mr. Jigme Gyatso andhad urged for his release on medical grounds.

Between 1988 and1989, Mr. Jigme Gyatso was the leader of a secret youth organisation called the“Association of Tibetan Freedom Movement”. On 17 January 1992, he organised ademonstration in Lhasa, during which many of the demonstrators were arrestedand detained by the People’s Security Bureau (PSB) and the officials of theanti-riot department. Mr. Jigme was not arrested at that time but PSB officialshad suspected he was involved and had kept him under strict surveillance untilhis arrest in 1996.

Actions Requested

Please write to the authorities in the People’s Republic of China urgingthem to:

i. Guarantee, in all circumstances, the physical and psychologicalintegrity of Mr. Jigme Gyatso;

ii. Carry out a prompt, effective, thorough, independentand impartial investigation into the aforementioned facts, notablythe acts of torture and ill-treatment, in accordance with international humanrights standards, the result of which must be made public,in order to bring those responsiblebefore a competent, independent and impartial tribunal and apply penal, civiland/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;

iii. Ensure that adequate,effective and prompt reparation, including adequate compensation andrehabilitation, is granted to Mr Jigme Gyatso;

iv. Guarantee the respect of human rights and thefundamental freedoms throughout the country with inclusion of all itsimprisoned persons in accordance with national laws and international humanrights standards.

Addresses

· Mr. Li Keqiang Guojiazhongli, PrimeMinister of the People’s Republic of China, Guojia Zongli, The State CouncilGeneral Office, 2 Fuyoujie, Xichengqu, Beijingshi 100017, People’s Republic ofChina, Fax: +86 10 65961109 (c/o Ministry of Foreign Affairs) Email: notice@scio.gov.cn

· Minister of Justice of the People’sRepublic of China, Buzhang Sifabu, 10 Chaoyangmen Nandajie, Chaoyangqu,Beijingshi 100020, People’s Republic of China, Fax: +86 10 6529 2345, Emails: minister@legalinfo.gov.cn / pfmaster@legalinfo.gov.cn

· Ambassador Liu Zhenmin, PermanentMission of the People’s Republic of China, Chemin de Surville 11, P.O. Box 85,1213 Petit-Lancy 2, Geneva, Switzerland, Fax: +41 22 7937014, E-mail: chinamission_gva@mfa.gov.cn

· Permanent Missionof the People’s Republic of China, Chemin de Surville 11, P.O. Box 85, 1213Petit-Lancy 2, Geneva, Switzerland, Fax: +41 22 7937014, E-mail: mission.china@ties.itu.int

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

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Geneva, 3 April2013

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