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For over two years, a Tibetan woman named Gonpo Kyi has been fighting for the release of her falsely accused brother, Dorjee Tashi.
Last month, a Chinese court ruled against her, putting justice for her younger brother even further out of reach. The court determined that the Public Security Bureau's (PSB) detention of Gonpo Kyi was lawful under Chinese law. The International Campaign for Tibet has expressed concern over the oppressional activities adopted by the Chinese administration against Gonpo Kyi. The PSB argued that Gonpo's activism expressed through prostration, meditation, posting flyers, and lying down in the street interfered with the work of the Tibet Autonomous Region Higher People's Court. As a result, the PSB's 10-day detention of Gonpo was deemed valid, the return of confiscated materials (an A4 sign and a white cloth banner) was denied, and her claim for monetary compensation was dismissed. Gonpo Kyi, also known as Gontey (Chinese: Gongde), has been actively seeking justice for her younger brother Dorjee (Duoji Zhaxi) since June 2022. Dorjee received a life sentence in 2010 after being framed as a "secessionist" in the aftermath of the Chinese government's crackdown on mass Tibetan protests in the spring of 2008, and he is currently imprisoned in the notorious Drapchi Prison. He was arrested following widespread protests across Tibet that challenged Chinese rule and was suspected of providing clandestine support to Tibetan demonstrators and of having alleged connections with the Tibetan exile community. On September 24, 2024, the Chengguan District Court in Lhasa dismissed all five counts of Gonpo Kyi's complaint against the district's PSB. She had filed the lawsuit in March 2024, primarily claiming that her ten-day detention for peacefully advocating for her brother's release violated her rights. Since its illegal occupation in the 1950s, China has aimed for the complete sinicisation of Tibet, oppressing its people for over six decades. Since June 2022, Gonpo has been at the forefront of persistent efforts to seek justice for her brother. Her approach has evolved from appeals to authorities in Beijing over the past decade to more public forms of protest, including sit-ins in front of the Tibet Autonomous Region Higher People's Court in Lhasa. Gonpo's public advocacy reveals growing frustration with the lack of progress through official channels and a willingness to risk personal consequences to draw attention to her brother's case. Tibetans in Tibet face severe restrictions on fundamental human rights, living under the constant surveillance of the Communist Party, which punishes or imprisons those who do not comply with its unfavourable policies and agendas, as reported by The Geneva Daily. "I have petitioned the court in Lhasa for a retrial of Dorjee Tashi's case under the law of the country, but they have refused. The police have detained, dragged, and beaten me multiple times. I'm currently in poor health due to these beatings. My right to request a retrial for my brother feels powerless. Until the Lhasa Court addresses my appeal, I will persist," Gonpo stated. Although the initial political charges against Dorjee were eventually dropped, he was later charged with "loan fraud." In May 2010, the Lhasa Intermediate People's Court sentenced him to life imprisonment and permanent deprivation of political rights. Throughout her years of public advocacy, the PSB has subjected Gonpo to beatings, detentions, forcible removal from protest sites, and threats of severe consequences, all aimed at silencing her efforts. (ANI)
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