Press Club of India, NEW DELHI, August 08, 2008 - The Association of Tibetan Journalists (ATJ) hosts this press conference, to relay information about the suppression of citizen journalism in Tibet. A team of self-taught filmmakers from eastern Tibet, Dhondup Wangchen (a farmer) and his friend Golog Jigme (a monk), made a brave effort to secretly film interviews with Tibetans on three subjects: Chinese rule in Tibet, the Beijing Olympic Games, and the Dalai Lama. The tapes were send to Mr. Gyaljong Tsetrin in Switzerland after which both were arrested.

ATJ is concerned about the restriction on journalism and freedom of speech in Tibet. Therefore, we call upon the Chinese authorities to release Dhondup and Jigme without any judicial proceedings.

When China won the bid to host the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in 2001, Beijing claimed that it would improve the human rights record of China including the freedom of press. Those claims have effectively been put to rest by the Chinese authorities and such freedoms are still lacking.

Today is the most awaited moment for China and its people, with the opening of the Olympic Games. However, there are reports that foreign journalists in Beijing are being harassed through mail and messages. We hope that the Chinese government, as host of the Olympics, would take the opportunity of the Opening Ceremony to open up free press, freedom of speech and freedom of movement.

Foreign tourists and reporters are still few and far between in Tibet even though China lifted a ban on foreign reporters for visiting the Tibetan areas. Foreign correspondents, meanwhile, complain that their applications to go to Tibet are taking a long time to process.

We take this opportunity to urge the Beijing authorities to open up Tibet to Chinese and foreign reporters and to facilitate their journalistic duties.