Re: [BAFoT] [TSG-L] MEDIA RELEASE: Husband arrested after wife sets herself alight in Tibet
Giovanni Vassallo
Giovanni Vassallo
*************************************************************************************Media release 18 March 2013
Immediate use
Husband arrested after wife sets herself alight in Tibet
Kunchoek Wangmo, age 30, set herself alight on the main street of Dzoge County town, eastern Tibet on 13 March and was taken away by Chinese security forces (1). Her husband, Dolma Kyab, 31, was later given ashes and told she had died and been cremated by the authorities.
Dolma Kyab was ordered by authorities to say his wife had set herself alight due to family problems. He refused and was detained by Public Security Bureau personnel. He is currently still in detention, leaving the couple’s eight-year-old daughter without parental care.
Free Tibet spokesperson Alistair Currie said:
“China’s current tactic in response to self-immolation protests is to combine punitive measures against communities with propaganda designed to denigrate those who protest. The arrest of a bereaved man for refusing to tell lies about his own wife is a cynical and brutal act and Free Tibet calls on Chinese authorities to release Dolma Kyab immediately.”
Ends
Notes for editors
(1) Location: Dzoge county town, Ngaba Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (TAP), eastern Tibet. Chinese: Ruoergai County, Aba TAP, Sichuan Province.
(2) Full list of self-immolators at http://www.freetibet.org/news-media/na/full-list-self-immolations-tibet
Free Tibet is an international campaigning organisation that stands for the right of Tibetans to determine their own future. We campaign for an end to the Chinese occupation of Tibet and for the fundamental human rights of Tibetans to be respected
For further information or comment, contact campaigns and media officer Alistair Currie:
M: +44 (0)780 165 4011
Free Tibet
28 Charles Square
London
N1 6HT
United Kingdom
The International Tibet Network is a global coalition of Tibet-related non-governmental organisations. Its purpose is to maximise the effectiveness of the worldwide Tibet movement, which is dedicated to ending human rights violations in Tibet and to working actively to restore the Tibetan people's right under international law to determine their future political, economic, social, religious and Cultural status.
The Network pursues its goals by working to increase the capacity of individual Member Organisations, through the coordination of strategic campaigns and by increased cooperation among organizations, thereby strengthening the Tibet movement as a whole. See www.tibetnetwork.org for more information.
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