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US concerns about 30 Tibetans prison terms
Thursday, 1 May 2008, 12:38 p.m.
Dharamshala: The United States said it was "concerned" about reports that China has sentenced 30 Tibetans to between three years and life imprisonment for their involvement in the recent unrest inside Tibet.
"We are concerned. We don't think that anyone should break the law. But we also believe in freedom of expression and assembly." White House spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters on Wednesday, 30 April.
Perino also renewed Washington's appeals for Beijing to open talks with representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama over the recent situation inside Tibet, saying he might be able to "calm the tensions" there.
"We are encouraged the Chinese have said that they would open up a dialogue with the Dalai Lama's representatives.We hope that those conversations are productive," said the spokeswoman.
"We think that it is in China's interest that they continue to have these, because the Dalai Lama is a man of peace and someone that, I think, that if they were open to, could help calm the tensions in the area," she said.
China jailed 30 people on Tuesday for between three years and life for taking part in last month's unrest, state-run Xinhua news agency reported earlier, describing the proceedings as "public" trials.
The sentences drew immediate condemnation from Human Rights Watch.
"Guilty or innocent, these Tibetans are entitled to a fair trial. Instead, they were tried on secret evidence behind closed doors and without the benefit of a meaningful defense by lawyers they'd chosen," said Sophie Richardson, Asia advocacy director for the group.
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