Press Release: Last Known Female Political Prisoner in TAR Released Early

On June 14, Dui Hua asked China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for an update on the case of Nyima Choedron (尼玛曲珍), the last known female political prisoner in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). Two days later, in an email response from Beijing, Dui Hua was given confirmation that Nyima Choedron had been released from the TAR Prison (also known as Drapchi Prison) on February 26, 2006 after commuting the remaining one year left on her sentence for “splittism.”

Nyima Choedron and husband Jigme Tenzin (晋美旦增), founders of the Gyatso Children’s Home in Lhasa, were convicted in September 2000 on “splittism” charges for having alleged links to an anti-Chinese protest carried out by another Tibetan during the national minority games held in the TAR in 1999. Nyima Choedron was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment by the Lhasa Intermediate People’s Court, while Jigme Tenzin received a life sentence. The Gyatso Children’s Home was closed by the authorities as an illegal business and the children dispersed.

The case of Nyima Choedron and Jigme Tenzin has been raised repeatedly with Chinese officials by Dui Hua and through the human rights dialogues held by several European governments and the United States. After an initial period during which little information was revealed about the case, details slowly began to emerge and become known outside of China. Very soon, Dui Hua was able to start reporting news of sentence reductions.

Nyima Choedron received her first sentence reduction in September 2002 and had an additional year cut from her original sentence in 2004. Her most recent sentence reduction and release came on the eve of Dui Hua’s announcement that Jigme Tenzin’s life sentence had been commuted to a 19-year fixed-term imprisonment in July 2003 and that he had received a further one-year reduction in November 2005. Jigme Tenzin’s sentence is now due to expire on July 30, 2021.

A source close to the family has confirmed that Nyima Choedron has been released and that she is with her children and has visited Jigme Tenzin at the TAR’s Chushur Prison, where he is currently serving his sentence.

In the weeks preceding the February 28 announcement of Jigme Tenzin’s sentence reduction, Dui Hua reminded Chinese authorities of Nyima Choedron’s good behavior and her seven-year-old daughter, born just before her arrest, in urging consideration of a final one-year reduction and release. We are gladdened to see this act of clemency by TAR officials on behalf of Nyima Choedron and hope that further reductions to Jigme Tenzin’s sentence will be forthcoming as well. Dui Hua also notes the importance of family visits to Jigme Tenzin’s well-being while in prison and hopes that TAR prison officials will facilitate visits by Nyima Choedron and the couple’s children to the fullest extent possible.

Dui Hua Releases English Translation of Verdict in Subversion Case of Yang Tongyan

On May 17, 2006 the Zhenjiang Intermediate People’s Court in Jiangsu Province sentenced Yang Tongyan (杨同彦) to 12 years’ imprisonment for committing the crime of subversion. The court also sentenced Yang to deprivation of political rights for a period of four years, which will commence upon his release from prison.

Text from the Zhenjiang court’s verdict was published on a Chinese-language web site on May 26. Dui Hua has prepared a corrected text based upon a copy of the original document and produced an English translation.

Yang Tongyan—who more recently has gone by the name of Yang Tianshui (杨天水)—was detained by domestic security police on December 23, 2005 and formally arrested on January 20, 2006. In addition to charging him with sending a large number of anti-government articles to be posted on overseas web sites, prosecutors alleged that Yang had attempted to organize a local preparatory committee of the outlawed China Democracy Party and accepted funds from overseas to be transferred to jailed political dissidents and their families. Another charge pointed to his election to the “Democratic Chinese Transitional Government,” held online as part of an Internet game sponsored by a web site known as “Velvet Action of China.” Yang’s trial was closed to the public because the case was determined to involve state secrets.

Yang Tongyan previously served a 10-year prison sentence from 1990 to 2000 for the crime of “leading and organizing a counterrevolutionary group,” after he allegedly tried to form an opposition political party, the “China Social Democratic Party.” The fact that Yang was previously convicted of a political crime was considered to be an aggravating factor in the court’s determination of his 12-year sentence.

Announcement: Spring 2006 Issue of Newsletter Now Available

The Spring 2006 issue of Dui Hua's newsletter, Dialogue, has been published. Featured articles may be viewed here. Please email publications(a)duihua.org to request a copy.