Urgent: China Sentences Dhondup Wangchen to 6 Years in Prison

We've just learned that Tibetan filmmaker Dhondup Wangchen has been sentenced to a six-year prison term for filming interviews with Tibetans in Tibet in advance of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The Chinese government has not officially confirmed the sentence, but sources in Tibet report that he was sentenced on December 28th, 2009.

Dhondup Wangchen has been detained since March 2008. According to a statement issued by Dhondup Wangchen's family, he intends to appeal the sentence, although he has been denied access to a lawyer of his choosing. Now is a critical time to keep the pressure on the Chinese authorities about his case.

TAKE URGENT ACTION! Please send the letter below to Chinese President Hu Jintao demanding Dhondup Wangchen's immediate release.

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Subject:

Dear [ Decision Maker ],

(Edit Letter Below)

I am outraged to learn that Dhondup Wangchen (Ch: Dangzhi Xiangqian), a Tibetan filmmaker, was sentenced to six years in prison on December 28, 2009. His trial took place in secret in Siling, eastern Tibet (Ch: Xining, Qinghai Province) and his family was not notified of the verdict.

Dhondup Wangchen was arrested in March 2008 and charged with "inciting separatism," for merely exercising his basic right to freedom of expression by documenting the views of ordinary Tibetans in the lead up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Dhondup Wangchen has been tortured while in detention, is in poor health, and has been denied medical treatment. Your government barred Dhondup Wangchen's lawyer from representing him in court. Tibetans are routinely denied their basic legal rights and sentenced to lengthy prison terms for the peaceful expression of their views.

I urge you to immediately release Dhondup Wangchen. His case has been closely followed by many governmental representatives and China will face global scruntiny over this unjust verdict. I will continue to speak out for Dhondup Wangchen until he is free.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]

Take Action on this Issue

Send this message to:

President Hu Jintao
cc: China's Ambassador to the United Nations Zhang Yesui

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