Beijing, Aug 6 (IANS) Leading international human rights organisation Amnesty International has strongly condemned the arrest of prominent Chinese pro-democracy activist Zhang Yi after he displayed a photograph of the Dalai Lama during a visit to a monastery in Tibet.
The organisation described the case as a chilling example of China’s continued crackdown on peaceful expression and the long-standing misuse of “inciting separatism” charges to criminalise peaceful expression in the Tibetan region.
“The arrest of Zhang Yi after he showed a photograph of the Dalai Lama while visiting a monastery is a chilling reminder of how far the Chinese authorities will go to police the peaceful exercise of human rights. This case bears all the hallmarks of the Chinese authorities’ long-standing misuse of the offence of ‘inciting separatism’ to criminalise peaceful expression in Tibetan areas and in relation to Tibetan history, culture and religious belief,” said Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director Sarah Brooks.
“Pending his release, they must ensure that he has prompt access to his family and a lawyer of his own choosing. Authorities must protect him from torture and other ill-treatment while in detention,” she added.
Citing an arrest notice received by his family on Wednesday, Amnesty International said that Zhang was formally arrested on July 28 on suspicion of “inciting separatism”.
According to the rights body, Zhang was detained by police in Lhasa on July 1 while visiting Sera Monastery in Tibet with his younger brother.
It noted that after being unable to communicate verbally with a Tibetan worshipper from whom he wished to borrow a prayer mat, Zhang showed the person a photograph of the Dalai Lama on his mobile phone.
Referring to his family’s account, Amnesty International said that two plainclothes men observed the interaction and appeared to record Zhang and his brother as they left the prayer area. The activist was detained by police before he could leave the monastery.
His detention came on the same day Beijing’s new so-called Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress Law came into force.
Emphasising that the law contains broad and vaguely worded provisions requiring the promotion of “ethnic unity” and a shared national identity, Amnesty International said that the legislation creates additional legal grounds for restricting the peaceful exercise of human rights, including the rights to freedom of expression, religion or belief, and cultural rights.
The rights body said that it has repeatedly documented the Chinese authorities’ misuse of the offence of “inciting separatism” to prosecute Tibetans for the peaceful exercise of their human rights, including advocating for Tibetan language education and expressing views on religious freedom and the Dalai Lama.
–IANS
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