Dharamshala: Gu Chu Sum, the Tibetan ex-political prisoners' movement in Dharamsala, India, reports that four Tibetans were executed at 11am on Tuesday in Toelung county, near Lhasa, the Tibetan capital. Lobsang Gyaltsen from Lhubuk, Lhasa, a woman named Penkyi, a man named Loyak from Taktse County, and another unnamed prisoner, were put to death for involvement in last year’s protests in the Tibetan capital.
According to the Chinese state media, Lhasa Municipal Intermediate People’s Court sentenced five prisoners on April 8 this year, on charges of torching shops in Lhasa during 2008's March 14 riots and killing seven people. Lobsang Gyaltsen and Loyak were sentenced to death, Tenzin Phuntsok and Kangtsuk to suspended death penalties and Dawa Sangpo to life imprisonment.
On April 21, the same court sentenced three more Tibetans on charges of setting fires and killing six people in Lhasa. Penkyi of Nyemo County received a suspended death sentence, Penkyi of Sakya County received a life sentence and Chime of Namling County received ten years imprisonment.
It thus appears that Penki and, and perhaps the unnamed executed man, were put to death despite having been given suspended death sentences.
No information on the executions was reported anywhere in the Chinese state media.
An anonymous source said Lobsang Gyaltsen's body was handed over to his family today but, because they could not afford a funeral, his wife threw his body into the Kyichu river at around 1pm.Gu Chu Sum says the Chinese authorities have stepped up security in Lhasa and launched a massive arrest drive, in fear of a public backlash.
Together with Students for a Free Tibet, Friends of Tibet, Tibetan Youth Congress, National Democratic Party of Tibet, and Gu Chu Sum will hold a candlelight vigil in McLeodganj, Dharamsala, at 6pm this evening, in memory of and protest against the executions.
