Chinese Government Executes Four Tibetans Over 2008 Tibet ProtestThursday, 22 October 2009, 3:23 p.m.

Loyak

Dharamshala: Four
Tibetans were executed in Lhasa on Tuesday (20 October) for their
alleged role in the peaceful protests against five decades of China’s
repression in Tibet last year, according to information received by the
Central Tibetan Administration.Lobsang Gyaltsen, aged 27, born
in Lhasa; Loyak, aged 25, of Tashi Khang, Shol Township, Lhasa and
Penkyi, aged 21, are the ones executed, and whose names are available
to us. The identity of the fourth person is not known.The
dead body of Lobsang Gyaltsen, from Lubug on the outskirt of Lhasa
city, was handed over to his family and his dead body was later known
to have been immersed in Kyichu River, Dharamsala-based Tibetan Centre
for Human Rights and Democracy reported citing unnamed sources.The
Lhasa Intermediate People’s Court in its 8 April 2009 verdict had
issued death sentences to Lobsang Gyaltsen and Loyak for allegedly
burning shops and killing its owner and employees in downtown Lhasa on
14 March 2008.While, Penkyi, of Sakya County, received
suspended death penalty. Two other Tibetans – Tenzin Phuntsok, aged 27,
of Drakyab County and Kangtsuk, aged 22, of Taktse County – were given
death sentence with a two-year reprieve.

Penkyi

There
was an inconspicuous deployment of Public Security Bureau officials and
armed personnel around Lhasa on the day of the execution. The Chinese
authorities had also stepped up patrol in and around Lhasa. Some
Tibetan shopkeepers and heads of some families were also taken into
custody.A large number of devotees gathered in Lhasa to their
respects to Ngagchen Rinpoche, who was involved in the search for the
reincarnation of Panchen Lama, has led to heightened repression in
Lhasa.