Urgent: China Sentences Dhondup Wangchen to 6 Years in Prison

Dear everyone,

We've just learned that Dhondup Wangchen, the Tibetan filmmaker who made
the remarkable documentary "Leaving Fear Behind," has been sentenced to a
six-year prison term. According to Radio Free
Asia<http://www.studentsforafreetibet.org/article.php?id=2129>and the
Tibetan Government-in-Exile, he was sentenced on December 28, 2009.
The Chinese government has yet to confirm the sentencing but Dhondup
Wangchen's family has released a
statement<http://www.studentsforafreetibet.org/article.php?id=2126>based
on information they received from Tibet.

While we are saddened by this news, we believe that international
pressure is making a difference in his case. It appears that Dhondup
Wangchen is trying to appeal his sentence, so it is critical that we keep
the pressure on.

*PLEASE TAKE ACTION: Send the letter below to Chinese President Hu Jintao.
Your letter will also be sent to China's Ambassador to the United Nations
Zhang Yesui. <http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/dhondupwangchensentenced>*

Please also call the Chinese authorities in Washington, D.C. and Beijing to
demand Dhondup Wangchen's immediate release (note: Beijing is 12 hours ahead
of Eastern Standard Time.) The Chinese government refers to Dhondup Wangchen
as Dangzhi Xiangqian (phonetic: Dang-Jeh She-ang Chi-an.)

In Washington, D.C
Chinese Embassy: +1-202-495-2000 (General Line) or +1-202-495-2171
(Political Office)

In Beijing:
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs: +8610 6596 1114 or +8610 6596 3100
Chinese Ministry of Justice: +8610 6520 6706 or +8610 6520 6706

You can post the Dhondup Wangchen action
alert<http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/dhondupwangchensentenced>on
your Facebook, blog, website, and other social networking site. Please
also change your Facebook profile picture to Dhondup Wangchen's
image<http://www.studentsforafreetibet.org/img/original/dhondupwangchenrelease.jpg>.


Tibetans and their supporters are organizing protests and vigils in response
to the sentencing to show China that people worldwide are gravely concerned
for Dhondup Wangchen's well-being. Please consider organizing an event in
your city. For more information and resources, please contact:
campaigns@stud....

More ways to take action will be posted shortly on SFT's
website<http://www.studentsforafreetibet.org/leavingfearbehind>.


Thank you for making a difference,

Tendor, Kate, Schuyler, TenDolkar, Sonam and all of us here at SFT HQ



<http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/dhondupwangchensentenced/gdbbni20j5dt3m5?>

Send a letter to the following decision maker(s):
President Hu Jintao

Below is the sample letter:

Subject: Dhondup Wangchen is innocent, release him now.

Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],

I am outraged to learn that Dhondup Wangchen (Ch: Dangzhi Xiangqian), a
Tibetan filmmaker, was sentenced to six years in prison on December 28,
2009. His trial took place in secret in Siling, eastern Tibet (Ch: Xining,
Qinghai Province) and his family was not notified of the verdict.

Dhondup Wangchen was arrested in March 2008 and charged with "inciting
separatism," for merely exercising his basic right to freedom of expression
by documenting the views of ordinary Tibetans in the lead up to the 2008
Beijing Olympics.

Dhondup Wangchen has been tortured while in detention, is in poor health,
and has been denied medical treatment. Your government barred Dhondup
Wangchen's lawyer from representing him in court. Tibetans are routinely
denied their basic legal rights and sentenced to lengthy prison terms for
the peaceful expression of their views.

I urge you to immediately release Dhondup Wangchen. His case has been
closely followed by many governmenta l representatives and China will face
global scruntiny over this unjust verdict. I will continue to speak out for
Dhondup Wangchen until he is free.

Sincerely,

Tenzin Dolkar

cc:
China's Ambassador to the United Nations Zhang Yesui
<http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/dhondupwangchensentenced/gdbbni20j5dt3m5?>
   Take
Action!

Instructions:
Click here to take
action<http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/dhondupwangchensentenced/gdbbni20j5dt3m5?>on
this issue or choose the "Reply to Sender" option on your email
program.

Tell-A-Friend:
Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this.
Tell-a-Friend!<http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/dhondupwangchensentenced/forward/gdbbni20j5dt3m5?>

What's At Stake:
Sources in Tibet have reported that Dhondup Wangchen, a Tibetan filmmaker, was
sentenced to six years in
prison<http://www.studentsforafreetibet.org/article.php?id=2127> on
December 28th, 2009. He was arrested for making "Leaving Fear Behind," a
remarkable documentary that captures the true feelings of Tibetans inside
Tibet about life under Chinese rule, the Dalai Lama, and the 2008 Beijing
Olympics.

His trial was held in secret in Siling, eastern Tibet (Ch: Xining, Qinghai
province) and he was denied a lawyer of his choosing and instead was
represented by a court-appointed lawyer.

In a letter Dhondup Wangchen smuggled out of detention in late September
2009, he wrote: "My trial has started. There is no good news I can share
with you. It is unclear what the sentence will be."

Tibetans and their supporters worldwide have been campaigning for Dhondup
Wangchen's release since his arrest in March 2008, and his case has received
global media attention<http://www.studentsforafreetibet.org/article.php?id=2090>.


In addition to sending the letter below, please call the Chinese authorities
in Beijing <http://www.studentsforafreetibet.org/leavingfearbehind> to
demand Dhondup Wangchen's immediate release (please note: Beijing is 12
hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time).

Campaign Expiration Date:
January 31, 2010


     <http://www.convio.com>



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Tenzin Dolkar
USA Grassroots Director
Students for a Free Tibet International Headquarters

tdolkar@stud...
T: + 212.358.0071
M: + 917.664.5530

www.studentsforafreetibet.org
www.facebook.com/studentsforafreetibet
www.twitter.com/SFTHQ
blog.studentsforafreetibet.org
www.youtube.com/SFTtv
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