China: Free Dhondup Wangchen and Golog Jigme!

Chinese authorities detained Tibetan filmmakers Dhondup Wangchen and Golog Jigme (Jigme Gyatso) in March 2008 in Tibet, shortly after they completed the filming of Leaving Fear Behind, a bold new documentary, which depicts the plight of Tibetans under Chinese rule and reveals their true feelings about the Beijing Olympics.

UPDATE 10/17/08: After being severely tortured Golog Jigme has been released back to his monastery. He is under surveillance by Chinese authorities and it is not clear if his charges have been dismissed. There is no updated information about Dhondup Wangchen.

Please send the letter below to Chinese authorities demanding his release. To learn how you can promote the film and help make sure Tibetan voices from inside Tibet are heard loud and clear, click: Tell me more

Subject:

Dear [ Decision Maker ],

(Edit Letter Below)

I am outraged to learn that Dhondup Wangchen is still being held by Chinese authorities for simply filming interviews with Tibetans in the lead up to the Beijing Olympics. Both Dhondup Wangchen and his cameraman Jigme Gyatso were detained in late March in Siling in eastern Tibet (Ch: Xining, Qinghai Province). Dhondup Wangchen is reportedly being held at Ershilipu Detention Center in Xining Kachu town (Ch: Linxia, Gansu Province). Jigme Gyatso was brutally beaten and tortured by Chinese authorities and recently released back to his monastery in eastern Tibet in October 2008.

When Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao was in New York for the inauguration of the United Nations General Assembly he told CNN that, "By hosting the Olympics, China has become more open...Freedom of speech and of media coverage are guaranteed in China...I don't think a system or a government should fear critical opinions or views."

As the detention of Dhondup Wangchen and Jigme Gyatso clearly shows, the Chinese Premier's statements are simply not true. Chinese authorities continue to crackdown on any Tibetan who speaks openly about the devastating impact of China's policies on the Tibetan people, their culture and the environment. If Chinese leaders do not fear "critical opinions or views," they would immediately release these innocent men and stop the crackdown against Tibetans who peacefully express their views.

The current situation inside Tibet is dire as Chinese authorities engage in a wholesale assault on Tibetan culture and identity, purging monasteries and beating and killing monks and nuns. At the same time, most foreign journalists and tourists continue to be barred from entering Tibetan areas. As long as Tibetans continue to suffer under Chinese rule, Premier Wen's claims of a more open and democratic China will continue to ring hollow.

I call on you to immediately take action to secure the release of Dhondup Wangchen, drop all the charges against Jigme Gyatso and free all Tibetans wrongly detained for merely expressing their right to free speech. Furthermore, if China is truly to be accepted as a leader on the world stage, your government must immediately engage in meaningful negotiations with the Tibetan government-in-exile to resolve the Tibet issue once and for all.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]

Take Action on this Issue

Send this message to:

Minister of Justice, Wu Aiying
cc: Premier Wen Jiabao

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