Release Dolma Kyab

Dolma Kyab (Chinese name: Zhou Shique) was a Tibetan writer and history teacher in Lhasa. He was in his twenties when the PRC detained him on March 2005 and charged him with ‘endagnering state security.’ He had been working on a book titled, The Restless Himalayas. The topic of the book was Tibet’s geography, history and religion. The official charges that were brought against Kyab are unknown to the public. As a result, he was convicted in a closed trial and is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence. An appeal was made by his family and was rejected on November 30, 2005, upholding the 10 year sentence.

A letter smuggled out of prison written by Kyab states that he was sentenced to ten years due to an unpublished book and because the authorities accused him of espionage. His letter appeals for help from the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.He is likely to have been charged with crimes involving ‘state secrets’, ie any information seen as a secret by the Chinese state, which would often be regarded as public knowledge in many other countries.

In March 2006 Kyab was reportedly transferred to Chushul Prison after receiving some medical treatment for tuberculosis. Dolma Kyab’s current conditions are unknown.