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China: Four Tibetan Children at imminent risk of torture (AI)

Amnesty International
October 16, 2007

Four Tibetan children aged 15 years,
detained since 7 September in Gansu
province, are at grave risk of torture and
mistreatment on suspicion of writing pro-
Tibetan independence slogans, said
Amnesty International today. A fifth child,
14 years old, is in hospital suffering severe
head injuries received in detention.

Amnesty International has received reports
that electric prods have been used on the
children and that Chopa Kyab, one of the
children still in detention, is being taken
away at night and has been severely
traumatised by his treatment.

On 7 September some 40 children were
detained by police in Xiahe county, Gannan
prefecture, Gansu province, for exercising
their right to freedom of expression. All
but seven of the children were released
from police custody within 48 hours. Two of
these seven children, aged 14 years old,
were later released after payments were
made by their families to the police,
believed to be in the amount of 2000 yuan
(US$250). Another boy, aged 14 years,
believed to be called Lhamo Tseten, was
allowed to go to hospital for treatment of
severe wounds to the head received in
detention, also after payments to the police.

Public Security Bureau officials are
reportedly demanding payment for the
release of the remaining four boys still in
custody, said to be more than 20,000 yuan
($2500). It appears that the police will not
release any of the boys until full payment is
made for all of them.

However, children released after payment
by their families may be rearrested shortly
after, in a pattern previously observed by
local residents.

Amnesty demands the immediate release
of the four children still in detention, and
calls on the Chinese authorities to launch
an investigation into the brutal treatment
of the children, and into the reports of
corrupt practices by local police demanding
payment from families for the release of
those in detention. The children should be
given immediate medical treatment and be
protected from further abuse.

Background

Amnesty International has long-standing
concerns about arbitrary detention
without charge, trial or judicial review, as
well as torture and ill-treatment of
detainees in Tibet.

Freedom of religion, expression and
association continue to be severely
restricted in Tibet, and as result many are
imprisoned for peacefully exercising their
basic human rights. As elsewhere in China,
arbitrary detentions, unfair trials, torture
and ill-treatment remain commonplace.