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Report submitted by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of humanrights defenders, Margaret SekaggyaAddendum-Summary of cases transmitted to Governments and replies receivedEXCERPTS ON TIBETUrgent appeal489. On 20 March 2008, the then Special Representative, together withthe Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitraryexecutions, Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief,Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right tofreedom of opinion and expression and the Special Rapporteur on thequestion of torture, sent an urgent appeal to the Governmentconcerning reports of violence during demonstrations in the TibetAutonomous Region and surrounding areas in China, killings of anunconfirmed number of people and arrests of hundreds of demonstrators.490. According to allegations received, on 10 March 2008, demonstrations led bymonks were organised demanding greater freedom of religion and therelease of monksdetained since October 2007. It is reported that 300 monks fromDrepung Monastery,near Lhasa, proceeded with a peaceful march towards the Potala Palacewhen they werestopped by the police. It is believed that around 60 monks suspectedto be the leaders of the protest were arrested by the Public Security Bureau (PSB).491. Sixteen people, including 15 visiting students monks in Sera Monastery,identified as Lobsang, aged 15, Lobsang Thukjey, aged 19, TsultrimPalden, aged 20,Lobsher, aged 20, Phurdan, aged 22, Thubdron, aged 24, Lodroe, aged30, and LobsangNgodrub, aged 29, from Onpo Monastery, Sichuan Province; Zoepa, aged 30, fromMangye Monastery; Trulku Tenpa Rigsang, aged 26, Gelek Pel, aged 32, and Samten,aged 17 from Lungkar Monastery, Qinghai Province; Pema Karwang, aged 30 andThubwang, aged 30, from Darthang Monastery; and Tsegyam, aged 22, from KashiMonastery led a march on Barkhor Street in Lhasa, distributingpamphlets and raisingTibetan flags. It is reported that they were arrested by the People?sArmed Police.Additional contingents of armed forces were then stationed in thearea, and the policeblocked roads and encircled Drepung and Sera monasteries around Lhasa to preventfurther protests from taking place.492. On the same day, about 350 people, including 137 monks from LhutsangMonastery in the Tibetan area of Amdo in Mangra County, organised aprotest in front of the Mangra County Assembly Hall where a government-sponsored show was takingplace. The protest was stopped by the People´s Armed Police. A numberof arrests tookplace during the disruption of the protest, but no information on thewhereabouts of thearrested monks has been received.493. Reports indicate that on 11 March, 500 to 600 monks from the Sera Monasterycalled for the release of the monks arrested the day before and begana march towardsLhasa, but were met on the way by approximately 2,000 armed police.The crowd wasreportedly dispersed with tear-gas. A number of monks were detainedand then released.494. On 11 March, the police surrounded and sealed off Ditsa Monasteryin HualongCounty in Qinghai Province after the monks held a protest.495. On 14 March, violent incidents were reported in Lhasa as tension escalatedbetween hundreds of demonstrators and police forces. Gunfire was heardin the streets,and shops and cars were set on fire. Allegations that a significant
 
number of Tibetans andHan and Hui Chinese have been killed during the demonstrations havebeen received.Monks from Ganden and Reting monasteries joined the demonstrations, and the twomonasteries were later sealed off by police. A number of monks fromSera Monasterystarted a hunger strike to protest against the sealing off of monasteries and the detentionof monks.Reports indicate that, in particular since 14 March, the wave of demonstrations by monksand lay people has spread in the whole Tibet Autonomous Region and inneighbouringprovinces. These demonstrations have reportedly sometimes beenviolently repressed, inmany cases leading to arrests of demonstrators. Allegations werereceived that since 14March, the People?s Liberation Army has been patrolling the streets of Lhasa.496. On 15 March, shooting was reported inside the compound of Tashi LhunpoMonastery in Shigatse, and at least 40 lay people demonstrating aroundthe monasterywere arrested. The next day, monks trying to escape the KirtiMonastery in Amdo in theSichuan Province, which had been sealed off by the military, haveallegedly been shot at;tear-gas was reportedly used on the demonstrators supporting the monksoutside themonastery, and many demonstrators were severely beaten by the police.The police isthen alleged to have shot into the crowd, killing and injuring aconsiderable butunconfirmed number of people.497. On 17 March, students of Marthang Nationality Middle School inHongyuan xianCounty, Aba Prefecture, Sichuan Province, aged between 14 and 20,started a protestinside the school. PSB officials blocked the entrance and beat thestudents while theywere trying to come out of the school. Approximately 40 students aresaid to have beenarrested. Around 700 students then staged a demonstration outside theHongyuan xianCounty PSB office to protest against the detention of fellow students.498. Since 10 March, it is reported that raids in the homes of people formerlyimprisoned for their political opinions have taken place. Since 15March, house-to-housesearches are allegedly being carried out in Lhasa, with CDs andprinted material beingconfiscated, and people being taken in custody. It is reported that on15 March, at least600 people had been arrested in Lhasa, either as a result of a housesearch or duringdemonstrations. Three hundred additional people were reportedlyarrested on 16 March.499. Reports indicate that on 13 March, the Lhasa Foreign BureauOffice has issued awarning to non-governmental organisations that any information givento foreignersregarding the protests could result in strict legal action against theconcerned individualsand organisations, including the closing down of the latter.500. On 17 March the authorities deported approximately 15 journalistsfrom at leastsix Hong Kong television, radio and print organisations, accusing themof "illegalreporting" and of illegally shooting films of People?s Liberation Armysoldiers. The
 
 journalists were escorted to the airport and put on a plane to Chengduin SichuanProvince, and the police is alleged to have looked into the journalists computers andvideo footages. The authorities allegedly refused to grant permits toallow foreign journalists to travel to the Tibet Autonomous Region as from 12 March,and are reportedto have ordered them out of the Tibetan parts of Gansu and Qinghaiprovinces on 16March, the police reportedly saying that it was for their safety.Further reports indicatethat within the country, video-sharing websites as well as newswebsites are inaccessibleand that international news broadcasts are being cut when showingreports of the eventsin the Tibet Autonomous Region and surrounding areas in China.501. On 15 March, the Tibet Autonomous Region High People?s Court, TibetAutonomous Region High People?s Procuratorate, and Tibet AutonomousRegion PublicSecurity Department issued a notice, asking that:?1. Those who on their own volition submit themselves to police or judicial offices priorto midnight on 17 March shall be punished lightly or dealt mitigatedpunishment; thosewho surrender themselves and report on other criminal elements will beperformingmeritorious acts and may escape punishment. Criminal elements who do not submitthemselves in time shall be punished severely according to law.2. Those who harbour or hide criminal elements shall be punishedseverely according tolaw upon completion of investigations.3. Those citizens who actively report and expose the criminalbehaviour of criminalelements shall receive personal protection, and granted commendationsand awards.?502. It was noted that according to the information received,demonstrations continuedto take place, both in the Tibet Autonomous Region and neighbouringprovinces, despitethe official notice.Response from the Government503. In a letter dated 21 May 2009, the Government responded to thecommunicationsof 20 March 2008 and 9 April 2008. The Government stated the eventsthat occurred inMarch 2008 in Lhasa and other place, were incorrectly termed as ?peacefuldemonstrations? but were actually serious acts of criminal violenceinvolving beating, thedestruction of property, looting and arson. Faced with such violentacts, which seriouslydisrupted public order and did serious damage to human life, propertyand security, noresponsible Government could simply sit back and not act. At present,the situation in theaforementioned areas has calmed down, and stability and public orderhave been restored.The judicial authorities of the Tibet Autonomous Region and the otherareas in questionare dealing with the criminal suspects severely, in accordance with judicial procedures.Those whose offences are lesser and who displayed a positive attitude,acknowledgingtheir guilt, have been released. Those whose situations are moreserious shall have theircriminal responsibility investigated in accordance with the law.504. The aforementioned serious violent criminal events were carefully
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