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Free Tenzin Delek
 Saved, but not Free - After two years of advocacy by thousands of people around the world, Chinese authorities commuted Tenzin Delek Rinpoche's death sentence to a life in prison sentence on January 26th, 2005. In April 2002, the revered Buddhist leader and educator from Eastern Tibet was arrested by Chinese authorities and sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit. Pressure from individuals has achieved the first step: stopping his execution. Now, we must make sure this innocent man doesn't spend his life in prison.
Help us free Tenzin! Fill out the fields at the right to send a letter asking the Chinese government to release Tenzin now. Click here more information on how you can help to Free Tenzin.
| Sample Letter for Campaign |
Subject: Free Tenzin Delek Rinpoche.
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
I am disturbed that Tenzin Delek Rinpoche is still being held in Chuandong prison and I urge you to release this innocent man now.
Tenzin Delek was framed for crimes he did not commit, because he is seen as a threat to the Chinese government's control in Eastern Tibet. He did not receive a fair trial and was denied access to lawyers of his choosing.
I join thousands of others around the world in urging you to free Tenzin Delek immediately.
Sincerely,
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Campaign Launched:
April 01, 2004
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"I am completely innocent...I have always said we should not raise our hand at others. It is sinful....I have neither distributed letters or pamphlets nor planted bombs secretly. I have never even thought of such things, and I have no intention to hurt others."
--Tenzin Delek Rinpoche
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Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, a highly respected Buddhist monk from eastern Tibet, was sentenced to death on December 2nd, 2002 on charges of involvement in a series of unsolved explosions. His co-defendent, Lobsang Dhondup, was executed shortly after. The two-year suspension of Tenzin Delek's sentence expired on January 26th, 2005, and Chinese authorities, under intense international pressure, commuted his sentence to life in prison. Human rights organizations around the world believe Tenzin Delek was framed because he is viewed by the Chinese government as a threat to their control of Tibet. Tibet has been occupied by China for more than fifty years.
Tenzin Delek is known for his dedication to preserving Tibetan religion and culture and protecting the environment. He built many schools, monasteries, and orphanages in his area, and is an advocate of the Dalai Lama's philosophy of nonviolence. Because of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche's influence in his community and his efforts to preserve Tibetan identity, he was an obstacle to the Chinese authorities' control in the region. Over the course of a decade, he was the target of harassment, intimidation, and control by Chinese officials.
The Chinese government did not present credible evidence against Tenzin Delek Rinpoche or any of the Tibetans detained in connection with this case. They were denied access to independent lawyers and did not have a fair trial. A life sentence in a Chinese prison, where torture and mistreatment are commonplace, is a death sentence of a different kind. Students for a Free Tibet and other organizations around the world are calling on China to release Tenzin Delek Rinpoche immediately.
Please help free Tenzin by sending a message to the Chinese government today. You can also click here to find other ways to help save this innocent man's life.
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