London: MP Andrius Navickas, the Chair of all-party parliamentary support group for Tibet in the Lithuanian Parliament (Seimas) and a group of 17 members of Lithuanian Seimas signed a joint appeal letter to the Lithuanian government, politicians and athletes to Boycott Beijing Winter Olympics. The letter was published in National TV news and media. See the joint appeal letter here.
In the joint letter published today in both English and in Lithuanian, members expressed their deep concern about China’s human rights violations and aggression against Uyghurs, Tibetans inside Tibet, and aggressive behaviour towards Hong-Kong and Taiwan. Members urged the concerns to demonstrate their civic position and refrain from participation in events where they will be used as puppets of a show directed by the authoritarian regime.
They appealed to the Lithuanian National Olympic Committee stating, “We appeal to the Lithuanian National Olympic Committee and leaders of all sports federations operating in Lithuania, calling on them for maintaining a position of principal that prestigious international sports tournaments and championships cannot take place in authoritarian states where human rights are not respected and where regimes try to employ sports for the promotion of their own image.”
-Report filed by Office of Tibet, London
