Rally in support of Tibet held outside Chinese Embassy in Vilnius

On Friday in Vilnius, approximately a dozen demonstrators participated in a picket outside the Embassy of China in support of Tibet, and drew attention to the deteriorating human rights situation in that region.

Participants of the picket held flags of Tibet and Lithuania, as well as banners in English reading “Free Panchen Lama”, “Respect human rights in Tibet”, “Stop Tibetan genocide: close boarding schools” etc., and chanted “Free Tibet”.

Robertas Mažeika, member of the Tibet Group delivered a speech at the rally noting the deteriorating situation in Tibet, where, according to the Freedom House, human rights are essentially non-existent.

He said that China’s policy involves total destruction of the Tibetan identity. Therefore, reacting to this, Tibetan communities in Lithuania and abroad urge all would-be members of the European Parliament to sign a commitment to conduct pro-Tibet policies.

17 May was chosen as the day of the protest to coincide with the kidnapping of six-year-old Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama, and his family members on this day in 1995. He is regarded to be the youngest political prisoner in the world.