MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

24 October 2005

following Rule 115(5) of the Rules of Procedure,
by Marcin Libicki
on behalf of Union for Europe of the Nations group
on the case of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche

NB: This motion for a resolution is available in the original language only.

B6-0581/2005

European parliament resolution on the case of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to its previous resolutions on Tibet and the human rights situation in China;

–  having regard to its earlier resolutions on the case of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, in particular of 19 December 2002, 18 November 2004 and 10 January 2005;

–  having regard to the Joint Statement of the EU-China Summit of 5 September 2005,

–  having regard to the human rights dialogue between the EU and China,

–   having regard to Rule 115(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.  whereas on 2 December 2002 the Kardze Intermediate People's Court in the Kardze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan Province sentenced Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, an influential and respected Buddhist lama, to death with a 2-year suspension;

B.  whereas both Tenzin Delek and Lobsang Dhondup were charged with “causing explosions and bombings” but their guilt has never been proven;

C.  whereas the period of suspension of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche's execution expired on 23 January 2005;

D.  whereas Human Rights organisations report, that Tenzin Delek Rinpoche is in a life-threatening state of health - unable to speak or walk - due to torture and inhumane conditions of imprisonment,

E.  whereas information concerning the state of health of Tenzin Delek cannot be checked by independent observers, as the Chinese Government refuses access;

1.  Is deeply concerned about the state of health of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche;

2.  Calls once more on the Government of the People’s Republic of China to stop the continued violation of human rights against the Tibetan people and other minorities and to ensure that international standards of human rights and humanitarian law, as well as religious rights, are respected by the Government of the People’s Republic of China;

3.  Expresses its serious concerns about the detention conditions and possible torture of political prisoners in China and Tenzin Delek Rinpoche among them and calls again on the authorities responsible to do everything to improve the living conditions and state of health of Tenzin Delek and to guarantee that he will not be ill-treated in detention;

4.  Appreciates the fact that the Sichuan Higher People's Court on 26 January 2005 has decided to commute the death sentence handed down to Tenzin Delek Rinpoche to life imprisonment, however repeatedly requests the Chinese government to cancel all sentences against Tenzin Delek and release him immediately;

5.  Calls repeatedly on the Government of the People's Republic of China to improve the inhumane conditions in their jails and to abolish torture of detainees;

6.  Calls on the Commission and the Council to make clear to the Chinese authorities that a genuine partnership can only develop when shared values are fully respected and put into practice;

7.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the UN Secretary-General, the Government of the People’s Republic of China, the Governor of Sichuan Province and the Chief Prosecutor of the Sichuan Provincal People's Procuratorate.

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