Sandals left behind after protest

The letter also urged Nepal’s new democratic government to resist any interference by Chinese authorities in its internal affairs, including efforts to restrict the democratic freedoms of the 20,000 Tibetans exiled in Nepal.

Over the last three months Tibetans in Nepal have faced what we believe to be harsh and unreasonable consequences for protesting peacefully. Specifically, on 24 March police beat protestors with bamboo sticks, arresting 475 people including prominent Nepali human rights activists during two protests in Kathmandu. We understand that police began detaining people even before the protest began, arresting many people as they were on their way to the demonstration or gathering in the area. On 25 March a further 100 were arrested outside the Chinese Embassy, protestors again being beaten by police armed with bamboo sticks.

On 11 May, 148 Tibetans were arrested outside the Chinese Embassy. More recently, on 8 June 185 Tibetans were detained after protesting outside a Chinese visa office. Reliable observers in Kathmandu report arrests and beatings being directed in some cases by Chinese Embassy officials behind police lines at the demonstrations.