Note to President Jerzy Busek on May 19th 2010.[:]

Dear Mr President,

Following the public hearing on “The Human Rights in Tibet after the Beijing Olympics” and the conclusions reached on May 6, 2010, we would like to ask you to address the Tibetan issue at your upcoming visit to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on May 25 – 29, 2010. Now it is a crucial moment to renew the support of the European Union to the Dalai Lama’s demand for a genuine autonomy of Tibet.

Although commitments were imposed as well as hopes were put on the PRC before the Beijing Olympics in 2008, there has been no improvement in the field of Human Rights in Tibet, as Tibetans’ disappearing, unwarranted arrests and serious abuses are reported frequently.

For example, Mr Tenzin Choedrak, a Tibetan political prisoner, was arrested in March 2008 following his participation in the widespread uprising against the PRC’s occupation of Tibet. Aged 23 he was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. Tenzin Chodrak is currently serving his prison term in Chushul Prison, near Lhasa. Seemingly targeted by the police of the PRC for his family’s previous association with political dissent, Tenzin Choedak was reportedly beaten, tortured whilst in the detention centre.

In his case, both domestic and international norms, particularly the proceedings of the Criminal Procedure Law (CPL) were violated and overlooked. There was no information whether Tenzin Chodrak received a fair hearing or was able to hire his own council lawyer or legal representation. Lhasa Intermediate People’s Court sentenced him to fifteen years of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of 10,000 Yuan. He is due to be released in 2024. We are deeply concerned at the conditions surrounding Tenzin Choedrak and appeal to your office to raise the plight of this individual with the representatives of the PRC.

We would like to hope that you convey our concerns to the representatives of the PRC and we would appreciate if you raised the need for an independent international investigation of the uprising in Tibet in 2008 during your visit.

Yours sincerely,
 

Heidi Hautala
Member of the European Parliament
Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights
 

Edward McMillan-Scott
Vice-President of the European Parliament
Member of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Kristiina Ojuland
Member of the European Parliament
Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs