Chinese police opened fire on Tibetan protesters in the town of Diriu in the Tibet Autonomous Region on October 6, 2013 injuring at least 60 people, some seriously. It is unclear if the police used live ammunition or tear gas.
“It is outrageous for the police to start firing on a peaceful gathering. This latest incident shows that the Chinese authorities have done nothing to rein in excessive use of force by their security forces or to increase respect for Tibetans’ right to freedom of peaceful assembly,” said Corinna-Barbara Francis, Amnesty International’s China Researcher.
There have been reports that some of those seriously injured were denied medical care for several days, and at least one is still in very critical condition.
The protesters had gathered to demand the release of a local Tibetan who had been detained on 29 September after speaking out against authorities’ efforts to force local families and monasteries to fly the Chinese flag.
According to the International Campaign for Tibet, 40 others were detained on the same day, some of whom remain in detention, while the whereabouts of the others remains unknown.
Celé znění on-line petice, kterou posíláme adresátům.
End of use of force against peaceful protesters,
Providing medical care for the injured Tibetans,
Proper investigation of cases of the detained Tibetans.
Your Excellency,
Please allow me to speak to you on behalf of Amnesty International Czech Republic to express my deep concern over the case of 60 Tibetans injured after a peaceful protest in Driru in the Tibet Autonomous Region on October 6, 2013. According to information received by Amnesty International, some of those seriously injured were denied medical care for several days. As a result, at least one individual remains in a very critical condition. On the same day, 40 other protesters were detained. Some of them remain in detention to this day, and the whereabouts of others remains unknown.
The protesters had gathered to demand the release of a local Tibetan who was detained on September 29th after speaking out against authorities’ efforts to force local families and monasteries to fly the Chinese flag on the occasion of a Chinese national holiday.
Amnesty International believes that the Tibetans were deliberately attacked by the authorities solely for having peacefully exercised their right of assembly and association. It is evident that the Chinese authorities have done nothing to rein in excessive use of force by their security forces or to increase respect for Tibetans’ right to freedom of peaceful assembly in the Tibet Autonomous Region.
In the light of the above described, I respectfully urge you, Your Excellency, to ensure that:
• violence against Tibetans in Diriu be stopped immediately,
• injured Tibetans be granted access to medical care, and
• the cases of detained Tibetans be properly investigated.
Thank you for your attention to this important issue.
Yours sincerely,
