Enforced disappearance and incommunicado detention

The International Secretariat of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in the People’s Republic of China.

Brief description of the situation

The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by The Tibetan Centre for Human Rigths and Democracy (TCHRD), member of the SOS-Torture network, about the arbitrary arrest and incommunicado detention of Mr. Ronggye A’drak, and the enforced disappearance of Mr. Lobsang Thokmey, commonly known by his short name, Lothok, on 1 August 2007 and 19 August 2007 respectively.

According to the information, Mr. Ronggye A’drak was arrested on 1 August 2007 for staging a public protest speaking about the importance of the Dalai Lama’s return to Tibet to a large Tibetan crowd gathered for the annual Lithang horse-race festival, by the Lithang Local Police, of Kardze “Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture” (“TAP”). He is reportedly currently detained incommunicado at the Lithang County Public Security Bureau (PSB) Detention Centre.

According to the same information received, on 19 August 2007, Mr. Lobsang Thokmey, a 36 years old Tibetan nomad, resident of Drakar Latse Village in Lithang County, was arbitrarily arrested while in a guesthouse in Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan Province, by Chengdu PSB officials. The owner of the guesthouse was also reportedly briefly detained but was then released after short interrogation. The authorities have reportedly given no specific reason for the arrest of Mr. Lobsang Thokmey and his whereabouts remain unknown at the time of issuing this urgent appeal.

The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Ronggye A’drak and Mr. Lobsang Thokmey, being particular at risk of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. OMCT recalls that China is a State party to the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment which prohibits torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. OMCT urges the authorities to conform with China’s international human rights obligations, commitments that were reaffirmed on the occasion of its election as a member of the new United Nations Human Rights Council.

Actions Requested

Please write to the authorities in the People’s Republic of China urging them to:

1. Immediately locate the whereabouts of Mr. Lobsang Thokmey (aka Lothok);
2. Guarantee, in all circumstances, the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Ronggye A’drak and Mr. Lobsang Thokmey;
3. Order their immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges, or, if such charges exist, bring them before an impartial, independent, competent and fair tribunal and guarantee their procedural rights at all times;
4. Guarantee immediate and unconditional access to their lawyers, families and any medical treatment they may require;
5. Order a thorough and impartial investigation into these events in order to identify all those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
6. Guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.

Addresses

• President Hu Jintao, People’s Republic of China, c/o Embassy of the People’s Republic of China; 2300 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington, D.C., 20008, USA, Fax: +01 202 588-0032
• President Hu Jintao, People’s Republic of China, c/o Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China, Chemin de Surville 11, Case postale 85, 1213 Petit-Lancy 2, Geneva, Switzerland, Fax: +41 22 7937014, E-mail: mission.china@ties.itu.int
• Minister of Justice of the People’s Republic of China, Zhang Fusen Buzhang, Sifabu, 10 Chaoyangmen Nandajie, Chaoyangqu, Beijingshi 100020, People’s Republic of China, Fax: +86 10 6529 2345
• Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Li Zhaoxing Buzhang Waijiaobu, 2 Chaoyangmen Nandajie, Beijingshi 100701, People’s Republic of China, Fax: +86 10 6588 2594, Email: ipc@fmprc.gov.cn
• Mr. Jiang Jufeng, Governor, Sichuanshen Renmin Zhengfu, Zoumajie, Chengdushi-610040, Sichuansheng, People's Republic of China, Tel: +86-28-8765-4321, +86-28-1234-5678
• Director of the Sichuan Provincial Department of Justice, Sifating, 24 Shangxiznglu, Chengdushi 610015, Sichuansheng, People's Republic of China
• Ambassador, Sha Zukang, Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China, Ch. De Surville, CP 85, 1213 Petit-Lancy 2, Suisse, e-mail: mission.china@ties.itu.int, Fax : +41 22 793 70 14
• Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Brussels, Avenue de Tervuren, 463 1160 Auderghem, Belgium, Tel: + 32 2 663 30 10 / + 32 2 663 30 17 / +32 2 771 14 97 / +32 2 779 43 33; Fax: +32 2 762 99 66 / +32 2 779 28 95; Email: chinaemb_be@mfa.gov.cn

Please also write to the embassies of the People’s Republic of China in your respective country.

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Geneva, 31 August 2007

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.