Minister of Justice

WU Aiying Buzhang
Sifabu
10 Chaoyangmen Nandajie,
Chaoyangqu
Beijingshi 100020
People's Republic of China

Your Excellency

Tibetan film-maker Dhondup Wangchen made a documentary, Leaving Fear Behind, which features a series of interviews with Tibetans, all of whom voice scepticism about the Chinese authorities’ promises of greater freedom in the run-up to the Olympics.

On 26 March 2008, Dhondup Wangchen was detained in Qinghai province. He escaped on 13 July 2008 and telephoned Gyaljong Tsetrin. He has since been detained again and is currently being held in Xining City No.1 Detention Centre. During the telephone call to his cousin, Dhondup Wangchen described being tortured in detention. During several weeks of interrogation he was beaten, punched in the head, frequently deprived of food and sleep, and tied to a chair. He has Hepatitis B, for which he has not received any medical treatment.

The authorities have charged Dhondup Wangchen with “inciting separatism” but they have not confirmed whether his trial has already taken place. In July 2009, the authorities forced his family-appointed lawyers to stop representing him, casting doubts over the fairness of any trial proceedings.

I call on the authorities to release Dhondup Wangchen immediately and unconditionally.

I ask for a full and impartial investigation into the allegations of Dhondup Wangchen’s torture, and call for those responsible to be brought to justice.

Sincerely,

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