Chinese Consulate
Geary Blvd. at Laguna Street
San Francisco
MEDIA ADVISORY Photo Opportunity
DATE October 3, 2013
Contact: Mrs. Lhamo Tso, 510-681-3244 (ONLY TIBETAN)
Mr. Peter Coyote, c/o Elizabeth Ross, Assistant to Peter Coyote, 415-385-9908
Ms. Tenzin Tselha, Students for a Free Tibet, 510-289-5691
Mr. Giovanni Vassallo, Bay Area Friends of Tibet, 415-264-3264
www.filmingfortibet.org www.friends-of-tibet.org
WHO: Lhamo Tso, wife of imprisoned Dhondup Wangchen & Actor Peter Coyote
WHAT: Press Conference and Handover of Birthday letters and photos for her husband, Dhondup Wangchen who is in Chinese prison
WHERE: Consulate of the People’s Republic of China in San Francisco
1450 Laguna, San Francisco, California,
WHEN: Wednesday, October 9, 2013 @ 11 AM – 1 PM
WHY: Lhamo Tso, wife of Tibetan filmmaker Dhondup Wangchen, accompanied by actor Mr. Peter Coyote, will go to the Chinese Consulate to hand over letters and pictures for her husband who is in a prison in China and whose birthday is on October 17. Peter Coyote supports the demand for a safe return of Dhondup Wangchen.
Dhondup Wangchen is nearing the end of a six-year prison sentence in China for "inciting separatism" -- simply because he dared to speak out about Tibetan human rights through his filmmaking. Dhondup Wangchen suffers from Hepatitis B and has not received the medical treatment he needs. It has been difficult to obtain reliable information about his condition. He is believed to have been transferred to Qinghai Provincial Women’s Prison.
Dhondup Wangchen's case is known internationally. He was awarded by various organizations for his courageous documentary. The self-taught camera man and filmmaker travelled across Tibet with his assistant Golog Jigme in 2007/2008. His film "Leaving Fear Behind" (28 min.) was translated into a dozen languages and has been screened in more than 30 countries worldwide.
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