PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA：
STOP ACTION ON FEARS OF FORCED OPERATION

There are fears that a young Tibetan woman, who has been imprisoned for moving the body of a man who set himself on fire, could be subjected to unnecessary medical procedures against her will.

Dolma Tso, 30, has had no access to her family or lawyer since her trial in November 2014. On 29 December 2015 and again on 4 January 2016, staff of the Chengdu Women’s Prison, Sichuan province, in south-west China, where Dolma is imprisoned, asked her family to give consent for her to undergo a medical operation for a stomach problem that they claimed she was suffering from. Earlier in December 2015, Dolma had sent a letter which stated that she had no health problems, but was scared about her safety and asked that no-one sign any consent documents on her behalf. There are fears that Dolma will be subjected to unnecessary medical procedures against her will that may put her health at risk.

Dolma was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment and a further three years’ deprivation of political rights in November 2014 in Aba Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province (Meruma, Ngaba County, Amdo Province). She was charged with “intentional homicide” for lifting the charred body of her neighbour Kunchok Tsetenm into a vehicle after he set himself on fire on 3 December 2013. The Chinese authorities have a policy of immediately seizing the body of people who have committed self-immolation and not returning it to their relatives.

During her 11 months’ pre-trial detention, other detainees witnessed police abusing Dolma, including tearing her earlobe, piercing a sharp pencil into her wrist, and shaving off her hair. Dolma was handcuffed and shackled during her imprisonment, and has not been allowed to receive visits from her lawyer or family, or to receive money, food and letters from them.

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UA: 47/16 Index: ASA 17/3568/2016 Issue Date: 4 March 2016

Please stop sending appeals about a Tibetan woman who could be subjected to unnecessary medical procedures against her will. 

In December 2015, authorities from the Chengdu Women’s Prison, Sichuan province, in south-west China, asked the family of Dolma Tso, to give consent for her to undergo a medical operation. Prior to that, Dolma had sent a letter which stated that she had no health problems and asked that no-one sign any consent documents on her behalf.  There were fears that Dolma, who was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for moving the body of a man who self-immolated, would be subjected to unnecessary medical procedures that might put her health at risk. 

Dolma is no longer at risk of a forced operation but she still has no access to family or lawyer.  We request that no more appeals be sent at this time but we will continue to monitor the situation. 

No further action is required. Many thanks to all who sent appeals.