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Amnesty International China Campaign Information

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People's Republic of China

Focus: Tibetan Nuns

prisoners of conscience

In May 1992, 25-year old Ngawang Choekyi was among 14 nuns from Toelung Nyen

Nunnery who were arrested in Lhasa because they had joined a

pro-independence demonstration. She was sentenced to five years'

impris-onment and sent to Drapchi prison in Lhasa. In 1993, her sentence was

increased by eight years after she and 13 other nuns were convicted of

hav-ing composed and recorded pro-independence songs in prison.

The songs were recorded on a tape recorder that had been smuggled into the

prison. The tape was secretly circulated in Tibet. On the tape, each of the

14 nuns announce their names and then dedicate a song or poem to their

friends and supporters. One nun sings: 'All of you outside who have done all

that you can for us in prison, we are deeply grateful to you and we will

never forget you". In most of the songs, the nuns reaffirm their commitment

to Tibetan inde-pendence and make assurances that they are in good spirits.

It is believed that the Chinese authorities deemed that the public

distribution of these songs amounted to "spreading counter-revolutionary

propaganda".

Amnesty International is very concerned that the 14 nuns received the

addi-tional punishment of eight years simply for the peaceful exercise of

the right to freedom of conscience and expression. Amnesty International is

also con-cerned that the nuns have not received fair trials either when they

were first sentenced or during the second trial in October 1993. The

organization considers that the trial procedures provided in Chinese law do

not meet the minimum standards for fair trial set out in international human

rights stan-dards.

Women make up about 1/3 of the political prisoners known to be held in

Tibet. All but two are nuns. The number of women political prisoners has

reportedly tripled in the past three years. In 1994, there were apparently

68 women prisoners in Drapchi alone, compared with 23 in 1991.

Amnesty International considers Ngawang Choekyi, along with the 13 other

nuns, to be prisoners of conscience, who have not used or advocated

vio-lence. Take action to free Ngawang Choekyi and to end human rights

viola-tions in Tibet. Write to the address listed below seeking her

immediate and unconditional release.

Gyaltsen Norbu Zhuxi

President of the Xizang Autonomous Regional People's Government

Xizang Zizhuiqu Renmin Zhengfu

1 Kang'angdonglu

Lasashi 850000

Xizang Zizhiqu

People's Republic of China

Salutation: Dear President

Send a copy of your letter to:

His Excellency Li Daoyu

Embassy of the People's

Republic of China

2300 Connecticut Avenue NW

Washington, D.C. 20008

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