Dear John,

A 19-year-old monk has died after he was beaten in police custody. Now, we must demand an investigation into his killing—and a stop to China’s torture and abuse in Tibet.

According to Human Rights Watch, when the family of Tenzin Nyima, more popularly known in his hometown as Tamey, came to collect him from prison last October, his health was so poor that he could not talk or move, and he suffered from severe injuries and an acute respiratory infection. A few months later, he was dead.

ICT reported on Tamey’s arrest in 2019 for distributing leaflets and shouting slogans about Tibetan independence outside a local government office. Now, we’re asking our members to sign our new petition to the UN, calling for an investigation into Tamey’s case and the Chinese government’s cruel practice of torturing Tibetans for exercising their beliefs.

Tamey’s life was only just beginning, but it ended in agony. He was reportedly in critical condition for 10 days before authorities turned him over to his family—China often releases political prisoners on death’s door just so they won’t die as inmates—and he could not receive hospital care until his relatives raised more than $6,000 for his treatment. Before he died, two different hospitals discharged him, declaring him too injured to save.

Tamey’s death was an unspeakable crime. But it was hardly unique in Tibet. In May 2020, a monk named Choekyi died after torture in custody. In August of that year, a 36-year-old mother of three died in custody after apparent beatings. And in 2015, ICT documented the cases of 29 Tibetans who suffered torture and mistreatment in detention, 14 of whom died as a consequence.

By signing our petition to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, you can:

• Call for an investigation into Tamey’s death
• Demand a stop to the pattern of torture in Tibet
• Push for action on the unprecedented joint statement by 50 UN independent experts last year calling for a collective effort by the international community to make sure China respects human rights and international obligations

Tamey gave his young life to protesting China’s abuse of the Tibetan people. We cannot let his death go by without an international response. We must hold China accountable, and we must work to end torture in Tibet.

Sincerely,

Bhuchung K. Tsering
Interim President

P.S. ICT monitors the status of political prisoners in Tibet, and we work with governments around the globe to push for their freedom and well-being. You can sustain these urgent efforts by making a gift today.