§ Lord Hyltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have asked the Government of China to commute the death sentence on the Tibetan Buddhist leader Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche; if so, what has been the response; and, if any response was negative, whether they will continue to raise this matter and to ask that he be afforded a retrial. [HL3097]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanMy honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Bill Rammell) raised Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche's case bilaterally in Beijing in December 2003 with Assistant Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui. Foreign Minister Zhang replied that Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche had had a fair and public trial and had been sentenced in accordance with Chinese law. Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche's case was also included on a list of cases handed over during the visit of Premier Wen to the UK in May this year. The case was raised most recently during the UK-China human rights dialogue in May. FCO officials asked for confirmation that the authorities would not carry out the death sentence in this case, expressed concern at the judicial process and requested a retrial. The Chinese side said that according to Chinese law, if Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche did not commit further crimes within the two-year suspension period, he would not be executed. Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche's suspension period will end in December 2004. We will continue to raise this case when appropriate opportunities arise.