Fear for the safety of three monks of the Tawu Nyasto Monastery in Sichuan Province, whose wherebaouts remain unknown after their arrest

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

Brief description of the situation

TheInternationalSecretariat of OMCT has been informed by The Tibetan Centre for Human Rightsand Democracy (TCHRD), a member of OMCT SOS-Torture Network, about the arrestand disappearance of three Tibetan monks of the Tawu Nyatso Monastery, namelymonk Norbu, monk Gyaltsen and the identity of the thirdmonk remains, at the time of issuing this urgent appeal, unknown. All threewere arrested by members of the Public Security Bureau (PSB), in Tawu county,Kandze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (TAP), Sichuan Province. OMCT fears that they may be at risk of torture andill-treatment.

According to the information received, monk Norbu,originally from the village of Rinah Lungpa, was arrested on 19 August 2011 in Siyo, near Chengdu (the capital of the Sichuan Province). Monk Gyaltsen, originally from the village of Nyeshap, was arrestedon 21 August 2011, at theentrance of a hospital in Chendgu, where he was accompanying a relative. Thethird monk, whose identity is currently unknown, was arrested on 22 August 2011 (at the timeof issuing this urgent appeal, no further information was available on theexact circumstances of their arrest). The charges against them and theircurrent whereabouts are not known.

OMCT recalls that, on 15 August 2011, 29-year-oldmonk Tsewang Norbu of the same aforementioned monastery set himself on fireafter raising slogans such as “Freedom in Tibet” and “Returnof his Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet”. Since then,security forces have been reportedly deployed in the area and the monks of themonastery have been regularly interrogated. Furthermore, restrictions on themovement of local Tibetans and communications have been severely tightened.

The International Secretariat of OMCT isgravely concerned about the safety of monk Norbu, monk Gyaltsen and the thirdmonk who was arrested, as theirwhereabouts and fate remain unknown.OMCT fears that they may besubjected to torture or other ill-treatment. OMCT urges the competentauthorities to guarantee their physical and psychological integrity at alltimes, in accordance with international human rights law, in particular theConvention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment orPunishment, and to immediately locate anddisclose their whereabouts. Enforced disappearance and torture and otherill-treatment constitute serious human rights violations and are strictlyprohibited under international law.

ActionsRequested

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

i. Immediatelylocate and disclose the whereabouts of the three arrested monks;

ii. Guarantee,in all circumstances, their physical and psychological integrity;

iii. Grant themimmediate and full access to a lawyer of their choice and their family, as wellas guarantee that they are examined by independent doctors and receive adequatemedical care if necessary, in accordance, interalia, with the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners;

iv. Order their immediate release in the absence of validlegal charges that areconsistent with international law and standards, or, if such charges exist,bring them before an impartial, independent and competent tribunal andguarantee their procedural rights at all times;

v. Guaranteetherespect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country inaccordance with national laws and international human rights standards.

Addresses

· Mr. WenJiabao, Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of China, Guojia Zongli, TheState Council General Office, 2 Fuyoujie, Xichengqu, Beijingshi 100017,People’s Republic of China, Fax: +86 10 65961109 (c/oMinistry of Foreign Affairs)

· Mr. Wu Aiying, Minister of Justice of thePeople’s Republic of China, Buzhang Sifabu, 10 Chaoyangmen Nandajie, Chaoyangqu,Beijingshi 100020, People’s Republic of China, Fax: +86 10 6529 2345, minister@legalinfo.gov.cn / pfmaster@legalinfo.gov.cn

· Mr. Meng Jianzhu,Minister of Public Security of the People’s Republic of China, Buzhang,Gong’anbu, 14 Dongchang’anjie, Dongchengqu, Beijingshi 100741, People’sRepublic of China, Fax: +86 1063099216

• Director of the Sichuan ProvincialDepartment of Justice, Sifating, 24 Shangxiznglu, Chengdushi 610015,Sichuansheng, People's Republic of China

· Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China, Ch. De Surville, CP 85, 1213Petit-Lancy 2, Suisse, e-mail: mission.china@ties.itu.int, Fax : +41 22 793 7014

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

***

Geneva, 24 August 2011

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