IMPRISONMENT OF NGAWANG SANGDROL

Early day motion 1380, tabled 3 June 1998 by Peter Bradley (Labour). Signed by 82 members.

That this House is deeply concerned about the case of the Tibetan nun Ngawang Sangdrol, first arrested at the age of 13 for openly supporting Tibetan independence, and currently serving 18 years imprisonment, the longest sentence passed on a woman prisoner in Tibet by the Chinese authorities, for singing pro-independence songs and participating in peaceful demonstrations; is further concerned that she has spent periods in solitary confinement with reduced food rations and has been regularly ill-treated; notes that her imprisonment violates Articles 18 and 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantee freedom of conscience and of expression, and Article 5, which prohibits torture and ill-treatment; urges Her Majesty's Government to raise the case of Ngawang Sangdrol with the Chinese authorities; and calls on the Chinese Government immediately and unconditionally to release Ngawang Sangdrol and all Tibetan political detainees held for the peaceful expressions of their opinions.

Signatures by party: Labour 65, Liberal Democrat 8, Labour/Co-operative 5, Conservative 3, Scottish National Party 1.