Six Tibetans sentenced up to 12 years for rescuing self-immolator
China has sentenced six Tibetans to heavy jail terms of up to 12 years for their alleged roles in trying to rescue a Tibetan self-immolator from falling into the hands of Chinese officials. The Xiahe County People’s Court passed the sentence on January 31, the same day when a Chinese court in Ngaba, eastern Tibet, sentenced Lobsang Kunchok, to death
My nephew and the Self-Immolation
I was sleeping in on Saturday morning when my cell phone rang several times. I picked it up without looking at the number. Over the phone I heard crying and the sounds of protest and the local dialect of my town Amchok: “Boys, don’t be sad, be strong, walk this way, walk forward. Om mani padme hum, Gyalwa Tenzin Gyatso.”
China again among the worst in global press freedom index
China finds itself placed once again among the worst in the world for press freedom and media rights in a new report released by France based Reporters Without Borders. Ranked at a dismal 173 out of 179 countries, the global media rights group in its 2013 Press Freedom Index said China “shows no sign on improving.”
TCV Gopalpur Drama
Tibetan students of TCV School, Gopalpur perform a drama on the continuing wave of self-immolation protests in Tibet during the four-day Tibetan People’s Solidarity Campaign in New Delhi on February 1, 2013. Over 5000 Tibetans from the Indian subcontinent are gathered in the Indian capital to express their solidarity with Tibetans inside Tibet and appeal for international intervention in the ongoing crisis. (Phayul photo)
Tibetan youth leader testifies before Canadian Parliament’s rights panel
A senior leader of the Tibetan Youth Congress, the largest pro-independence group in exile, testified before a subcommittee on human rights of the Canadian Parliament on Tuesday. Dhondup Lhadar, vice president of the Dharamshala based TYC, spoke on the ongoing wave of self-immolations
Mass Rally
Top leaders of the exile Tibetan administration, including Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay and Speaker Penpa Tsering leading a mass rally in solidarity with Tibetans inside Tibet in the Indian capital New Delhi on January 31, 2013. Over 7000 Tibetans from the Indian subcontinent took part in the rally demanding international intervention in the ongoing crisis inside Tibet as part of the four-day Tibetan People’s Solidarity Campaign from Jan30-Feb 2, 2013. (Phayul photo)