Tibetan Political Prisoners Receive UN Attention
New York, 27 April: The UN Human Rights mechanisms have given an unprecedented attention to the cases of Panchen Lama, TulkuTenzin Delek, and other Tibetan political prisoners.
“These issues have received the dedicated attention of the 1503 procedure and, in 2003 alone, 8,226 communications signed by more than 15,000 individuals” were processed by the UN Human Rights agencies, said Bertrand Ramcharan, Acting High Commissioner of Human Rights.
“In fact, your cause has garnered the widespread support of individuals and organisations throughout the world who have not ceased to draw these issues to the attention of the OHCHR, (Office of High Commission on Human Rights )” Ramcharan said in a letter addressed 13 April to Kalsang Phuntsok, President of the Tibetan Youth Congress.
Urging the Tibetan Youth Congress to end its hunger strike in New York, Ramcharan said, the case of Tulku Tenzin Delek is “being addressed by the special rapporteurs of the Commission on Human Rights”.
“In particular, the Special Rapporteurs on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary execution sent a letter to the Government of China on 9 December 2002, expressing concern at the death sentence passed on Tulku Tenzin Delek and Lobsang Dhondup; this is reflected in the Special Rapporteur’s report to the current session of the Commission on Human Rights in 2003.”
Following Ramcharan’s letter, three fact-finding experts of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights issued a press release 14 April, expressing concern over the fate of Tulku. The experts said they were concerned that Tulku Tenzin Delek might be executed any time upon the expiration of the suspension of his death sentence on 3 December 2004.
“We are similarly concerned at the alleged lapses in respect for human rights during the trial proceedings and urge the authorities to grant Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche a new trial ensuring respect for international norms and standards of due process,” the experts said.
A report by OoT, New York