Conditions of Tibetans on death penalty row turn critical Friday, 22 May 2009, 10:27 a.m.

Lhasa Intermediate People’s Court announces death sentence to Loyak, (C) aged 25, from Tashigang village, Shol township, Lhasa, on 8 April 2009

Dharamshala: The family members of the four Tibetans who were given death sentence and one who was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Chinese court for taking part in last year’s protests in Tibet are deeply concerned as their whereabouts remain unknown since the verdict was announced on 8 April. The Lhasa People’s Intermediate Court announced death sentence to Lobsang Gyaltsen, aged 27; Kangtsug, 22; Loyak, 25, while 27-year-old Tenzin Phuntsok alias Tenzin was given death sentence with a two-year reprieve. A fifth man named Dawa Sangpo, aged 30, son of Mr Tenzin was a painter and mud sculptor by profession. The Public Security Bureau of Taktse County took him into custody for 15 days without any charges days before the 10 March protests . He was later given life term imprisonment over his alleged role in the March protests. He has a 16-year-old son, who is living his mother named Lhakpa. China’s law made it mandatory for the Intermediate courts must to refer the cases of death sentence to the Supreme People’s Court within 6 weeks of passing the judgment. But there has been no information on whereabouts of the five Tibetans as stipulated duration was completed on Thursday, 21 May.

Kangtsuk, aged 22, son of Mrs Tenzin Choedon, who worked as a ticket seller in private travel agency, was given suspended death penalty with a 2-year reprieve.

China’s state media reported that the Chinese government conducted open trial for the five Tibetans. However, their family members said that they have no such information of the trials and they were denied rights of legal representation to defend their case. Similarly, the Lhasa People’s Intermediate court passed death sentences to two Tibetan women and life imprisonment to another woman on 21 April. The family members deeply regret that the girls were not given fair and open trial and coerced to accept their guilt. Penkyi, of Sakya County, received the suspended death penalty for starting fires in two downtown clothing shops on 14 March last year, an unnamed spokesman of the Lhasa Municipal Intermediate People’s Court was quoted as saying by the Tibet Daily.She is 21-year-old and hails from Norbu village, Dogra township in Sakya County.

Dawa Sangpo, aged 30, sentenced to life term

She was convicted for allegedly setting a blaze in Hongyu Trousers on the Qingnian road, which left the shop owner Zuo Rencun dead, the spokesman said.The court has also slapped harsh jail terms to other Tibetans for setting fires at Yishon clothing store on the East Beijing Road in Lhasa. Another Tibetan named Penkyi of Nyemo County, was sentenced to life imprisonment and Chime Lhamo, aged 20, was jailed for 10 years, the spokesman said.Penkyi, aged 23, is from Thantoe village, Margkyang township in Nyemo County. The Central Tibetan Administration and human rights groups have expressed their strong condemnation and deep concern over the arbitrary sentences meted out to the Tibetans.   Related:CTA Concerned About Death Sentence to Two TibetansTibetan Parliament-in-Exile Calls on International Community to free Tibetans from Death PenaltyAmnesty International Urges China to Overturn Death Sentences for TibetansFORUM: Death In LhasaHuman Rights Group Condemns Death Sentence to Two TibetansFACT SHEET: Tibetan Deaths Under China’s Crackdown since March 2008China’s Brutality in Tibet Exposed