2012-03-30
Authorities inform Tibetans that they are subject to beatings for 'threatening social stability.'
A Tibetan boy (R) looks on as armed Chinese police patrol a street in Chengdu in Sichuan province, Jan. 27, 2012.
Chinese authorities in the remote Western province of Gansu have threatened residents of the Tibetan region of Kanlho (in Chinese, Gannan) with "torture" and "beatings" if they circulate certain views or information, a Paris-based press freedom group said Friday.
According to police notices in the Tibetan language posted in public places in the prefecture, "criminals" who say certain things will be subjected to "torture" at the hands of police, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said in a statement on its website.
The notices call on the public to inform on "criminals" who "threaten the social stability of Gan Lho [Kanlho]" with "ideas of splitting the nation." Also subject to immediate punishment is the "incitement of illegal activities and agitation between ethnic groups."
The destabilization of society and the promotion of "illegal organizations" is also cited as banned, as is any form of communication or information that is judged to be being used for "criminal purposes."
This could include "speech and the distribution of written information," "cartoons," "homemade materials," "videos," "websites," "emails and audio files," or "SMS text messages," the notice says.
"People found to be in possession of, or promoting any of the above materials, actions or ideas, will be met with violent beating/torture by the Public Security Bureau,” the notice says.
Informers, on the other hand, will get full police protection and confidentiality, as well as a reward of 5,000 yuan (U.S. $790).
'Outrage' at policy
RSF said it was "outraged by the policy of terror openly pursued by the Chinese authorities in Kanlho."
"The aim of these torture threats is to instill terror in all those who might circulate information about the government's repressive policies," the statement said, calling for a United Nations probe into the notice.
"The police must immediately withdraw these posters and stop legitimizing the use of torture and physical mistreatment for criminal actions that are deliberately defined in vague, loose terms, open to broad interpretation," RSF said.
RSF has also hit out at the lack of Chinese media coverage of continuing Tibetan protests in Sichuan and Qinghai provinces, amid a series of self-immolation protests by Tibetans in recent months.
Thirty-three Tibetans have set themselves on fire since 2009 as a part of stepped-up protests against Beijing's rule and a call for the return of their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, to Tibet from exile in India.
China fell six places in the 2011-2012 Reporters Without Borders press freedom index and is now ranked 174th out of 179 countries, RSF said.
Reported by Luisetta Mudie.
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Translation of the notice (as translated by Tibet Post International):
Notice: Gan Lho [Kanlho] Public Security Bureau (PSB) requests the public to inform on criminals who threaten the social stability of Gan Lho.
Protect social and political stability in Gan Lho Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and quickly establish a harmonious Gan Lho! Establish a better economic environment for investment! Be vigilant of and crack down on criminals who threaten Gan Lho's social stability! Directly inform on criminal lairs!
The following directives have been authorized by the security department:
I) Damage to national security, the destabilization of society, the destruction of ethnic unity.
All the following actions will be met with violent beating/torture by the PSB:
1) The disturbance of relations between ethnic groups, public agitation between ethnic groups, the destruction of national unity.
2) The corruption of the public with ideas of the splitting of the nation, through speech and the distribution of written information, cartoons, home-made materials, videos etc - all acts destructive to social discipline and stability.
3) The membership, promotion of, or the making of donations to illegal organizations - all of which harm national security and destabilize society.
4) The incitement of the public to illegal activities through websites, emails and audio files, all acts destructive to ethnic unity through websites and SMS texts, and other major criminal actions against the security of society.
5) The engagement in criminal activities such as grievous bodily harm, destruction of property, arson and looting etc, and the coercion of others into criminal acts that damage the security of society.
II) Any member of the public who informs the police about the above criminal acts or gives the police information about the perpetrators will be guaranteed personal protection by PSB officers, personal confidentiality and a reward of 5,000 Chinese Yuan.
III) This directive is to be applied with immediate effect. 0941 - 669 6271, 6696272
According to police notices in the Tibetan language posted in public places in the prefecture, "criminals" who say certain things will be subjected to "torture" at the hands of police, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said in a statement on its website.
The notices call on the public to inform on "criminals" who "threaten the social stability of Gan Lho [Kanlho]" with "ideas of splitting the nation." Also subject to immediate punishment is the "incitement of illegal activities and agitation between ethnic groups."
The destabilization of society and the promotion of "illegal organizations" is also cited as banned, as is any form of communication or information that is judged to be being used for "criminal purposes."
This could include "speech and the distribution of written information," "cartoons," "homemade materials," "videos," "websites," "emails and audio files," or "SMS text messages," the notice says.
"People found to be in possession of, or promoting any of the above materials, actions or ideas, will be met with violent beating/torture by the Public Security Bureau,” the notice says.
Informers, on the other hand, will get full police protection and confidentiality, as well as a reward of 5,000 yuan (U.S. $790).
'Outrage' at policy
RSF said it was "outraged by the policy of terror openly pursued by the Chinese authorities in Kanlho."
"The aim of these torture threats is to instill terror in all those who might circulate information about the government's repressive policies," the statement said, calling for a United Nations probe into the notice.
"The police must immediately withdraw these posters and stop legitimizing the use of torture and physical mistreatment for criminal actions that are deliberately defined in vague, loose terms, open to broad interpretation," RSF said.
RSF has also hit out at the lack of Chinese media coverage of continuing Tibetan protests in Sichuan and Qinghai provinces, amid a series of self-immolation protests by Tibetans in recent months.
Thirty-three Tibetans have set themselves on fire since 2009 as a part of stepped-up protests against Beijing's rule and a call for the return of their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, to Tibet from exile in India.
China fell six places in the 2011-2012 Reporters Without Borders press freedom index and is now ranked 174th out of 179 countries, RSF said.
Reported by Luisetta Mudie.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Translation of the notice (as translated by Tibet Post International):
Notice: Gan Lho [Kanlho] Public Security Bureau (PSB) requests the public to inform on criminals who threaten the social stability of Gan Lho.
Protect social and political stability in Gan Lho Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and quickly establish a harmonious Gan Lho! Establish a better economic environment for investment! Be vigilant of and crack down on criminals who threaten Gan Lho's social stability! Directly inform on criminal lairs!
The following directives have been authorized by the security department:
I) Damage to national security, the destabilization of society, the destruction of ethnic unity.
All the following actions will be met with violent beating/torture by the PSB:
1) The disturbance of relations between ethnic groups, public agitation between ethnic groups, the destruction of national unity.
2) The corruption of the public with ideas of the splitting of the nation, through speech and the distribution of written information, cartoons, home-made materials, videos etc - all acts destructive to social discipline and stability.
3) The membership, promotion of, or the making of donations to illegal organizations - all of which harm national security and destabilize society.
4) The incitement of the public to illegal activities through websites, emails and audio files, all acts destructive to ethnic unity through websites and SMS texts, and other major criminal actions against the security of society.
5) The engagement in criminal activities such as grievous bodily harm, destruction of property, arson and looting etc, and the coercion of others into criminal acts that damage the security of society.
II) Any member of the public who informs the police about the above criminal acts or gives the police information about the perpetrators will be guaranteed personal protection by PSB officers, personal confidentiality and a reward of 5,000 Chinese Yuan.
III) This directive is to be applied with immediate effect. 0941 - 669 6271, 6696272
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