Last week, Tibetan activist Tashi Wangchuk was tried in Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai on charges of “inciting separatism” after he appeared in a New York Times video about his fight to preserve the Tibetan language, which faces extinction due both to government efforts to enforce Mandarin learning and to economic pressures to learn the national tongue. No verdict has yet been announced, but the charges against him could bring a sentence of up to 15 years. CDT cartoonist Badiucao pays tribute to Tashi by depicting a snow lion, the traditional emblem of Tibet, with a muzzle over its mouth:
Snow Lion, by Badiucao:
Supporters of Tashi Wangchuk gathered outside the Chinese consulate in New York this morning to demand his release. Human Rights in China and PEN International issued statements at the demonstration:
"Language rights are human rights" — @PENamerican issues statement on #TashiWangchuk outside Chinese Consulate in New York pic.twitter.com/xhUzQsiDr3
— Jonah Kessel (@jonah_kessel) January 8, 2018
Protesters from @SFTHQ demanding the release of #TashiWangchuk are outside of the Chinese consulate in New York City pic.twitter.com/XSbkWhOjKu
— Jonah Kessel (@jonah_kessel) January 8, 2018
AP’s Gerry Shih relays words from Tashi’s lawyer, Liang Xiaojun:
What an elegant, devastating jab at the powers that be. Tashi Wangchuk's (Han) lawyer Liang Xiaojun told the court: "For Tibetans, I'm an outsider. But I and many people admire Tibetan culture, and I hope it doesn't disappear like traditional Chinese culture." https://t.co/zIJRrvRvam
— Gerry Shih (@gerryshih) January 5, 2018
See the original New York Times video that was used as evidence against him:
In a New York Times article over the weekend, Edward Wong recounted meeting Tashi, writing, “Mr. Tashi is the kind of citizen China should value — someone working within the law to recommend policies that would benefit ordinary people and ease tensions. But two years later, Mr. Tashi remains imprisoned.”
You can send support Badiucao by buying “Watching Big Brother: Political Cartoons by Badiucao,” available in EPUB and PDF formats. The book covers the early years of Xi’s presidency, from December 2013 to January 2016. No contribution is required, but all donations will go to Badiucao to support his artwork. CDT is also selling merchandise featuring Badiucao’s work in our Zazzle store. See also a Q&A with Badiucao in which he discusses his artistic and personal influences, and his earlier cartoons for CDT.
