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7 April 2015; For Immediate Release
Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, a highly respected Tibetan buddhist monk, is known to be in extremely poor health with a serious heart condition.
Contact:
Tenzin Jigdal, jigdal@tibetnetwork.org, + 91 9882 255516 (India, Tibetan, English)
Alison Reynolds, alison@tibetnetwork.org, + 44 7711 843884 (UK, English)
The International Tibet Network,1 a global coalition of 180 non-governmental organizations, is appealing to world governments to urgently pursue the medical parole of long-term political prisoner and Tibetan Buddhist monk, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche.(2)
Tenzin Delek Rinpoche has been in prison for 13 years and is known to be in extremely poor health with a serious heart condition and high blood pressure. During a rare visit to see Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, his family spoke to a doctor who told them that he believed Tenzin Delek Rinpoche had a serious heart condition for which he needed surgery.
An official application for medical parole was made by Tenzin Delek’s family in 2014. Authorities have not responded to the application nor have they granted visitation rights to the family. Tenzin Delek is entitled to both visitation rights and medical parole under Chinese law.
The past success of international diplomacy is evident in the numerous Tibetan political prisoners released on medical parole after foreign governments raised urgent cases directly with Chinese authorities.(3)
“ Raising the case of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, with a specific reference to medical parole, may not only afford him protection from further ill-treatment but significantly increase the prospects of him receiving the parole and medical care he so desperately needs.” said Tenzin Jigdal, International Tibet Network.
Charged with “crimes of terror and incitement of separatism”, Tenzin Delek was sentenced to death, with a 2-year reprieve, on 2 December 2002 by the Kardze (CH: Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture Intermediate People’s Court. His conviction was based on a confession obtained under torture by his alleged co-conspirator, Lobsang Dondrup, who was also found guilty and executed on 26 January 2003. Tenzin Delek’s case was commuted to a life sentence in 2005, and subsequently reduced to 20 years. During the trial, no evidence other than the confession of Lobsang Dondrup was offered into evidence and Tenzin Delek maintained his innocence throughout. To date, no court documents have been released, shrouding the proceedings in secrecy.(4)
Tenzin Jigdal added: “It is ironic that Zhou Yongkang,(5) who was Party Secretary in Sichuan Province when Tenzin Delek was persecuted and detained in 2002, is now himself facing a possible suspended death sentence.”
Later this year the United Nations Committee Against Torture will review China’s compliance with the Convention against Torture. The level of violence directed at Tibetan political prisoners is extreme and results in Tibetans being left with severe scars following a period of detention, including paralysis, the loss of limbs, organ damage, and serious psychological trauma.(6) Tibetans, whose lives might have been saved following torture, often die because of deliberate withholding of medical treatment. This is in contravention of both international and Chinese Criminal Law regarding medical access for detainees.
Notes to Editors
- International Tibet Network is a global coalition of 180 Tibet Groups working to end the human rights violations in Tibet and restore the Tibetan people’s right under international law to determine their own political, economic, social, religious, and cultural status – www.TibetNetwork.org
- A new short report summarising Tenzin Delek Rinpoche’s case is available at https://tibetnetwork.org/tenzindelek_medicalparole and further campaign information at www.FreeTenzinDelek.org
- Dui Hua, Medical Parole Prisoners to 2005 http://duihua.org/wp/?p=2608 and further examples of Tibetan political prisoners released on medical parole, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OVrL7HM3f3eBazrCCobhnmzXuZ5ZJUgqanFmSP_dH5Y/edit
- Human Rights Watch, Trials of a Tibetan Monk. http://www.hrw.org/reports/2004/02/08/trials-tibetan-monk
- Zhou was charged with bribery, abuse of power and the intentional disclosure of state secrets. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-32172600 For a profile of Zhou Yongkang see http://www.chinese-leaders.org/zhou-yongkang
- International Campaign for Tibet http://www.savetibet.org/newsroom/torture-and-impunity-29-cases-of-tibetan-political-prisoners/#sthash.O4sqWf3K.dpuf
Member Groups of International Tibet Network
Western Europe:
Aide aux Refugies Tibetains
Association Dorje
Association Drôme Ardèche-Tibet
Associazione Italia-Tibet
Briancon05 Urgence Tibet
Caisse d’Aide aux Prisonniers Tibetains
Casa del Tibet – Spain
Comite de Apoyo al Tibet (CAT)
Comite de Soutien au Peuple Tibetain (Les Lilas)
Corse – Tibet
Eco-Tibet France
EcoTibet Ireland
France-Tibet
Free Tibet
Groupe Non-Violent Louis Lecoin, France
Grupo de Apoio ao Tibete, Portugal
International Society of Human Rights, Munich Chapter (IGFM)
Jamtse Thundel Association
La Porte du Tibet, Geneva
Les Amis du Tibet – Belgium
Les Amis du Tibet Luxembourg
Lions Des Neiges Mont Blanc, France
Maison des Himalayas
Maison du Tibet – Tibet Info
Nice Tibet
Nos Amis de l’Himalaya
Objectif Tibet
Passeport Tibetain
Phagma Drolma-Arya Tara
Reseau International des Femmes pour le Tibet
Save Tibet, Austria
Society for Threatened Peoples International
Students for a Free Tibet – France
Students for a Free Tibet – UK
Tibet 59 / 62
Tibet Democratie
Tibet Initiative Deutschland
Tibets Kinder im Exile V.
Tibet Liberte Solidarite
Tibet Libertes, France
Tibet Society, U.K.
Tibet Support Group – Ireland
Tibet Support Group – Netherlands
Tibet Unterstutzung Liechtenstein
Tibetan Association of Germany
Tibetan Community Austria
Tibetan Community in Britain
Tibetan Community in Ireland
Tibetan Youth Association in Europe
Tsowa-Maintenir la Vie, France
Autodétermination-Tibet 09/31
Tibetan Community of Italy
Tibetaanse-Vlaamse Vriendenkring vzw
Lungta Association Belgium
Northern Europe:
Association of Free Tibet
Friends of Tibet in Finland
Swedish Tibet Committee
The Norwegian Tibet Committee
Tibet Support Committee Denmark
Tibetan Community in Denmark
Tibetan Community Sweden
Students for a Free Tibet Denmark
Central & Eastern Europe:
Fair Society o.s.
Friends of Tibet Slovakia
Friends of Tibet Society St. Petersburg, Russia
International Youth Human Rights Group – Human Rights in Tibet
Lithuanian Tibet Culture Foundation
Polish Movement for a Free Tibet
Save Tibet Foundation
Society for Croatia-Tibet Friendship
Students for a Free Tibet, Poland
The Foundation for Civil Society, Russia
Tibet cesky (Tibet in Czech)
Tibet Support Association – Hungary
Tibet Support Group – Krasnodar Region, Russia
Tibet Support Group – Romania
Tibet Support Group – Sochi Region, Russia
Tibetan Community in Poland
Tibetan Programme of The Other Space Foundation
TSG – Slovenia
Union Latvija Tibetai (Latvia for Tibet )
Zida Cels, Latvia
Tibetan Association of Slovakia
Friends of Tibet Bulgaria
North America:
Association Cognizance Tibet, North Carolina
Bay Area Friends of Tibet
Boston Tibet Network
Canada Tibet Committee
Colorado Friends of Tibet
Committee of 100 for Tibet
Dhokam Chushi Gangdruk
International Tibet Independence Movement
Northwest Tibetan Cultural Association
San Diego Friends of Tibet
Santa Barbara Friends of Tibet
Sierra Friends of Tibet
Snow Lion Foundation
Students for a Free Tibet
Students for a Free Tibet – Canada
The Tibetan Alliance of Chicago
The World Tibet Day Foundation
Tibet Committee of Fairbanks
Tibet Justice Center
Tibetan Association of Ithaca
Tibetan Association of Northern California
Tibetan Association of Philadephia
Tibetan Association of Santa Fe
Tibetan Association of Southern California
Tibetan Cultural Association – Quebec
TIBETmichigan
Tibet Oral History Project
Toronto Tibet Youth Congress
U.S. Tibet Committee
Western Colorado Friends of Tibet
Wisconsin Tibetan Association
United Nations for a Free Tibet (UNFFT)
Central and South America
Amigos del Tibet, El Salvador
Asociación Cultural Peruano Tibetana *
Asociación Cultural Tibetano – Costarricense
Casa Tibet Mexico
Centro De Cultura Tibetana – Brazil *
Centro Cultural Colombo Tibetano
Grupo De Apoyo a Tibet Chile *
Grupo Pro-Cultura Tibetana, Chile *
Le Club Francais – Paraguay
Tibet Mx (Pensando en Tibet)
Tibet Group-Panama
Tíbet Patria Libre, Uruguay
Fundación Pro Tibet – Argentina
Friends of Tibet in Costa Rica
World League for Freedom and Democracy
Asia
Bharrat Tibbat Sahyog Manch, India
Core Group for Tibetan Cause, India
Foundation for Universal Responsibility of H. H. the Dalai Lama
Gannasamannay
Gu-Chu-Sum Movement of Tibet
Himalayan Committee for Action on Tibet
India Tibet Friendship Society
Japan Association of Monks for Tibet (Super Sangha)
Lung-Ta Project
Mahatma Gandhi Tibet Freedom Movement
National Campaign for Tibetan Support, India
National Democratic Party of Tibet
Roof of the World Foundation, Indonesia
Students for a Free Tibet Japan
Students for a Free Tibet India
Taiwan Friends of Tibet
Taiwan Tibet Exchange Foundation
The Youth Liberation Front of Tibet, Mongolia and Turkestan
Tibet Lives, India
Tibet Solidarity Forum, Bangladesh
Tibet Support Group Kiku, Japan
Tibet Support Network Japan
Tibetan Student Association, Madras (TSAM)
Tibetan Rights and Freedom Committee (TRFRC)
Tibetan Women’s Association (Central)
Tibetan Youth Congress
Japan Committee of 100 for TIbet
Ns3 Rigpa Community Builder’s Foundation
Anterrashtriya Bharat – Tibbet Sahyog Samiti
Australasia
A.C.T. Tibet Support Group
Australia Tibet Council
Friends of Tibet New Zealand
Students for a Free Tibet New Zealand
Tibet Action Group of Western Australia
Tibet Support Group Adelaide – Australia
Tibetan Community of Victoria
Tibetan Women Association and Friends Australia (TWAFA)
Sakya Trinley Ling
Africa and Middle East
Israeli Friends of the Tibetan People
Tibet Support Group Kenya
Dalai Lama Movement East Africa
