By Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Dec 14: Chinese authorities have reportedly detained Gonpo Kyi, the sister of the imprisoned Tibetan businessman Dorjee Tashi, and her husband, Choekyong for staging a protest in front of the Lhasa People’s Court on Dec. 13, according to various reports.
Accounts from Free Tibet and Tibet Watch revealed that Gonpo Kyi and her husband had visited the Lhasa People’s Court with a letter, requesting a retrial for her brother, who has been unjustly incarcerated since the 2008 pan-Tibetan uprising. Additionally, they pleaded for visitation rights, which they had been denied to them since 2021 despite previous assurances by officials.
However, the couple faced severe force, enduring physical assault by police personnel, before being taken to a police station in Lhasa. Reports indicate challenges in obtaining updates on the current situation of the couple or their specific location within the detainment facility.
Gonpo Kyi had previously staged several protests outside the court, advocating for her brother’s immediate release. She protested against what she deemed an “unfair” verdict, which sentenced her brother to life imprisonment back in 2010.
Dorjee Tashi, once considered one of the wealthiest people in Tibet, was a member of the Chinese Communist Party in 2003. However, following the 2008 Pan-Tibetan Uprising in Lhasa, he was detained due to suspicions surrounding his donations to the exiled Tibetan community, which authorities interpreted as support for the movement. Despite having his political charges cleared, he was labelled a “secessionist” by Chinese authorities. Subsequently, in 2010, a Chinese court sentenced him to life imprisonment, citing “loan fraud” as the basis for the severe sentence. During his time in prison, Dorjee Tashi has reportedly suffered prolonged torture, resulting in a significant decline in his health.
Despite being ‘warned’ and ‘threatened,’ Gonpo Kyi throughout her prior protests endured beatings and torture at the hands of Chinese police. Following these assaults, she was also denied hospital treatment for continuing her protests.
Advocacy group like the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) has previously documented instances of torture inflicted upon Dorjee Tashi, during his pre-trial detention. Both the United States and the European Union have expressed serious concerns regarding the arbitrary detention of Dorjee Tashi. The European Union specifically urged for his immediate and unconditional release, emphasising this demand in conjunction with other similar cases, during their statement, marking the International Human Rights Day on December 10.
