Greetings,

It is with great sadness that we are writing to let you know Tibetan rights groups recently confirmed that three Tibetans, Lobsang Gyaltsen, Loyak, and Penkyi were executed on October 20th, 2009 in Lhasa. There is a report that a fourth Tibetan may also have been executed. Read SFT's press statement.  

This is the first known execution of a Tibetan since 2003, demonstrating the lengths to which the Chinese government is now prepared to go in order to intimidate Tibetans and crush all perceived opposition to its occupation of Tibet.

Please join people worldwide in voicing outrage at this travesty of justice. Send the letter below to Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon to immediately condemn these executions in the strongest possible terms. 

We urge you to also call your Members of Parliament and let them know how serious this matter is and that you expect the Canadian Government to take immediate action and condemn these killings.

If you are in the Toronto area, please  join us for a candle light vigil this Sunday, October 25th,  at the Chinese Consulate (240 St. George St.) from 5-7pm, in memory of the 4 Tibetans killed.  More ways to take action will be posted shortly on SFT Canada's website.

Our collective actions will make a difference to the people inside Tibet.

Sincerely,

Tenzin Lobsang and everyone at SFT Canada

Subject: Please take action to condemn China's execution of Tibetans.

Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],

I am outraged to learn that the Chinese government has executed three Tibetans, Lobsang Gyaltsen, Loyak, and Penkyi for their alleged involvement in the March 2008 protests. The executions took place in Lhasa, Tibet's capital, on October 20th, 2009. There are reports from Tibet that a fourth execution may have taken place.

These executions of Tibetans, the first known since 2003, signal an alarming escalation in the Chinese government's violent campaign to punish, intimidate, and silence any Tibetan who dares to speak out against China's occupation.

Lobsang Gyaltsen and Loyak were originally sentenced to death on April 8, 2009, prompting an international campaign to stop China from carrying out their executions. The identity of the other two Tibetans is unclear, but some believe that Penkyi could be a Tibetan woman in her early twenties who was given a suspended death sentence in April 2009.

These individuals were denied their basic legal rights, and their trials were not conducted in accordance with international judicial standards. A report released by Human Rights Watch in March 2009 revealed that China's judicial system is "so highly politicised as to preclude any possibility for a fair trial for Tibetans."

I understand the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has yet to comment on this incident. I urge you to immediately condemn this travesty of justice in the strongest possible terms.

I further ask you to call on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to take bold and concrete action to end China's violent occupation of Tibet if he visits Beijing next month as has long been rumoured.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]