By Tsering Dhundup
DHARAMSHALA, April 24: Gonpo Kyi, the sister of Tibetan businessman Dorjee Tashi, who was wrongly sentenced to life by Chinese authorities, faced another instance of violence at the hands of Chinese authorities on April 19. The incident occurred following her latest protest outside the Tibet Higher People’s Court in Lhasa, where she reiterated her demand for a fair retrial for her brother, according to research outfit, Tibet Watch.
Gonpo Kyi, who has been actively advocating for justice for her brother, documented her injuries sustained during the altercation with the authorities. She accused the police of confiscating and subsequently destroying her phone, which contained evidence of their misconduct.
In one of the videos obtained by Tibet Watch, Gonpo Kyi denounced the authorities for their actions, stating, “You robbed my mobile phone and broke it to conceal the evidence, illegally arrested me and illegally beat me.” She highlighted the recurring pattern of her arrests and assaults each time she attempted to protest peacefully for her brother’s cause.
Another video showed Kyi holding a pamphlet bearing the message “Dorjee Tashi is innocent!”, while expressing her frustration with the authorities’ refusal to grant her brother a fair trial, asserting, “You forcefully put a black hat on a white person [Dorjee Tashi].”
Despite facing detention and threats from the authorities, Gonpo Kyi remains steadfast in her pursuit of justice for her imprisoned brother. Dorjee Tashi was arrested in 2008 on charges of loan fraud, which his family vehemently denies.
In December 2023. Gonpo Kyi and her husband, Choekyong filed a lawsuit against the police over their ill-treatment. The duo has said that they were treated harshly during a protest outside the Higher People’s Court in Lhasa.
On December 12 last year, Gonpo Kyi and Choekyong staged a sit-in outside the court, demanding a re-examination of Dorjee Tashi’s case and access to visit him, a promise that they claim was previously made to them. Instead of addressing their demands, they were allegedly detained and subjected to violence by the authorities.
Gonpo Kyi spent a week in detention and became the focus of an international campaign calling for her release. In their lawsuit, the couple accused the police of arbitrary detention and physical assault. They also claim they were denied access to medical treatment for Gonpo Kyi’s injuries sustained during the detention.
