P6_TA(2004)0067

Tibet (case of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche)

European Parliament resolution on Tibet, the case of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its earlier resolutions on Tibet and the human rights situation in China, and its resolutions on human rights in the world,

- having regard to its resolution of 19 December 2002 [1] on the cases of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche and Lobsang Dhondup,

- having regard to Rule 115(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas on 2 December 2002 the Kardze (Ganzi) Intermediate People's Court in the Kardze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan Province sentenced Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, an influential Buddhist lama, to death, suspended for two years, and whereas his attendant, Lobsang Dhondup, was executed on 26 January 2003, in both cases for alleged political offences,

B. whereas both had been arrested in early April 2002 following a bombing incident in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, on 3 April 2002,

C. whereas Tenzin Delek Rinpoche was charged with "causing explosions" and "inciting separatism" and his guilt has not been proven,

D. whereas Tenzin Delek Rinpoche has reportedly been held incommunicado from his arrest until today, and has reportedly been tortured for several months,

E. seriously concerned at the fact that the period of suspension of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche's execution will expire on 2 December 2004,

F. whereas, at the request of the then European Council, the Council is currently re-examining the embargo on arms sales to China, which was decided and implemented in 1989,

G. whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China recently received representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama,

1. Reiterates its call for the abolition of the death penalty, calls for an immediate moratorium on capital punishment in China and urges the Chinese authorities to immediately commute the death sentence handed down to Tenzin Delek Rinpoche;

2. Strongly condemns the execution of Lobsang Dhondup on 26 January 2003;

3. Calls on the Chief Prosecutor of the Sichuan Provincial People's Procuratorate and the Governor of the Sichuan Provincial People's Government to do their utmost to prevent the execution of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche;

4. Urges the authorities to guarantee that Tenzin Delek Rinpoche will not be ill-treated in detention, asks for an immediate review of the case and calls on the Chinese authorities to do all in their power to establish that international human rights and humanitarian law standards are being respected and, in particular, to guarantee internationally recognised legal proceedings for persons arrested;

5. Calls on the European Union and its Member States to urge the Government of the People's Republic of China to respect the religious rights and freedom of the Tibetan people, and in particular to prevent the execution of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche and to call for a new and fair trial;

6. Calls on the Commission and the Council to express their concerns about Tenzin Delek Rinpoche's case during the forthcoming EU/China Summit;

7. Calls on the Council and the Member States to maintain the EU embargo on trade in arms with the People's Republic of China and not to weaken the existing national limitations on such arms sales; considers that this embargo should be maintained until such time as the EU has adopted a legally binding Code of Conduct on Arms Exports and the People's Republic of China has taken concrete steps towards improving the human rights situation in that country, inter alia by ratifying the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and by fully respecting the rights of minorities;

8. Welcomes the release of Ngawang Sangdrol and Jigme Sangpo, Tibet's longest-serving prisoners of conscience, and urges the Chinese authorities to continue with prisoner releases;

9. Calls on the Government of the People's Republic of China to step up the ongoing dialogue with the representatives of the Dalai Lama with the aim of reaching a mutually acceptable solution to the issue of Tibet without further delay;

10. Reiterates, in this respect, its call to the Council to appoint an EU Special Representative for Tibetan Affairs so as to contribute effectively to the peaceful resolution of this issue;

11. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the UN Secretary-General, the Chinese Government, the Governor of Sichuan Province and the Chief Prosecutor of the Sichuan Provincal People's Procuratorate.

[1] OJ C 31 E, 5.2.2004, p. 264.

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