Free my husband, a Tibetan filmmaker jailed in China

I got this from Amnesty International:

http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/siteapps/advocacy/ActionItem.aspx?c=6oJCLQPAJiJUG&b=6645049&aid=13745&msource=W1204EAIAR2


He gave voice to Tibet's anguish. Now he needs our voices.


Dear Tracy,

My name is Lhamo Tso and I'm writing today to ask for your help securing the release of my husband, Dhondup Wangchen.

In 2008 Dhondup made a film called "Leaving Fear Behind," capturing the voices of fellow Tibetans on the eve of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. China was awarded the prestigious Games with the hope that human rights in Tibet and elsewhere in China would improve.

Instead, China's repression in Tibet has only worsened.
Attempts by Tibetans to secure their human rights are routinely crushed. Dhondup has been punished severely. He was tortured and held without charge for nearly a year, then sentenced in a secret trial to six years imprisonment for "inciting separatism."

My husband has committed no crime.
Dhondup suffers from Hepatitis B and was denied medical treatment. My sister in-law takes food and clothes to the prison every month, but it is extremely difficult to obtain reliable information about Dhondup's condition.

Call on the Chinese authorities to give Dhondup the medical attention he urgently needs and to immediately release him and all prisoners of conscience.

Dhondup and I come from northeast Tibet -- the epicenter of recent protests against the Chinese authorities. In my husband's documentary, people express their frustration with the situation, which seems to grow worse each year. Nomads are evicted from their pastures, school children were recently expelled for demanding Tibetan textbooks, natural resources are exploited with no respect for nature, monasteries are under constant surveillance, and Tibetans fear that they might never see the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet.

My people have responded with dramatic acts of self-sacrifice -- including setting themselves on fire -- as a last attempt to demand the same freedom and rights that every human being should enjoy. I saw horrific photos and videos of these self-immolations and wonder why something like this has to happen in our world.

Never give up hope.
My husband tried to show the world both beauty and struggle inside Tibet. Despite our hardships, my family believes in humanity -- we will never give up the hope that there is a better tomorrow.

Please join me in showing Dhondup that you see him, you hear him, and that you will speak for him and all prisoners of conscience when their voices are silenced.

Please act today. Click here to join Amnesty International's global campaign demanding the release of Dhondup and all prisoners of conscience.

I am incredibly grateful for your kind acts.

Sincerely,
Lhamo Tso






PS - At the moment, I am travelling through North America to speak about Dhondup. My tour is organized by different groups, including Amnesty International USA. I feel encouraged to meet people who show sincere concern about the situation of my husband and the many other political prisoners in Tibet. Please check my itinerary -- it would be a pleasure for me to meet you!