Dharamsala (AsiaNews) - A day of protest to demand the release of Dhondup Wangchen, the Tibetan director arrested for "inciting separatism". The protest was called by 5 of the largest pro-Tibetan groups in Dharamsala, seat of the Tibetan government in exile, collecting signatures to ask the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to lobby for his immediate release.
This evening there will be a candlelight vigil in the main Tibetan temple in the city. The film for which he was arrested will also be shown.
The director is in jail since March 2008 for having shot the film "Leaving Fear Behind”, which documents the views of the Tibetan people on various topics such as the Beijing Olympics, the Dalai Lama, the politics of the Chinese government in Tibet.
Lhamo Tso, wife of Dhondup, points out that he limited himself to filming interviews and that “Beijing wants to silence him because he exercised the right of freedom of expression. I ask the international community to put pressure on China for the release of my husband”.
The lawyer appointed by the family was not allowed access to the trial. Dhondup is not allowed see his family and it appears he has been repeatedly beaten and tortured and is now in poor health.
Tsewang Ringzin, president of the Tibetan Youth Congress, denounces "Beijing’s unjust persecution against Dhondup Wangchen," devoid of legal defense, and they demand his immediate release.
The organizers of the protest note how Chinese authorities systematically deny Tibetans fundamental rights and with serious convictions persecute their peaceful expression of dissent.
