Reports say hundreds responded with a roaring yes when Runggye Adak asked whether the Dalai Lama should return to Tibet.

One of Adak’s relative told ICT: ”When he was speaking, I heard that he stressed that he was not saying anything that is against the law. For instance, under Chinese law, people are meant to have religious belief. Everyone in the crowd was shouting their support, particularly when he asked them whether they agreed that His Holiness the Dalai Lama should return to Tibet. He is a deeply religious man and the views he expressed show the strength of his feelings about the welfare of the people in Lithang.”

Fearing for his safety, scores of people from his village Yonrou, demonstrated at the local country office, with some people even breaking into the office, demanding his release. Tension escalated with the police officer firing into the air to disperse the crowd. According to RFA, Runggye Adak and at least 20 others were detained from his village. According to Adak’s son, Runggye Jamyang, thousands of Tibetans have been gathering at the police station demanding Adak’s release, resulting in a stand-off between protesters and the police.

Runggye Adak was tried at the Ganzi Autonomous Prefecture People's Court in Dartsedo on Monday October 29 on charges of attempting to "split" the country.

According to Radio Free Asia, Adak told the judge from the dock: "When I shouted 'Long live the Dalai Lama' and called for the release of Tibetan political prisoners, I was detained and then formally arrested." He went on to say there is no one in Tibet who does not have faith in, loyalty to or the heartfelt wish to see the return of the Dalai Lama. He countered "propaganda" by the Chinese authorities that Tibetans have lost faith in the Dalai Lama, saying: "That is wrong, but we have no freedom to say so."

After Adak's call for the return of the Dalai Lama and his subsequent detention, hundreds of nomads and local residents descended on Lithang town calling for his release. Thousands of troops then besieged the region, forcing the nomads to withdraw, on condition that Adak would be released.

According to Radio Free Asia all four men protested their sentences, calling out: "This is not a fair trial" and "We cannot accept this decision".

On 20^th November 2007 the official China news agency, Xinhua, reported that Runggye Adak (Chinese transliteration: Rongji Azha) received eight years' imprisonment for "inciting to split the country" and for "severely disrupting public order".
Runggye Adak told the court: "I wanted His Holiness to return, and I wanted to raise Tibetan concerns and grievances, as there is no outlet for us to do so. That made me sad and made me act."

Three others, connected to Adak, were sentenced on charges of "endangering national security" by attempting to provide pictures and information to "foreign organisations".
Adak Lopoe (Chinese transliteration: Lubo), Runggye Adak's nephew, who is a respected senior monk from Lithang monastery, received the longest sentence, 10 years, for "colluding with foreign separatist force to split the country and distributing political pamphlets".
Tibet singer and art teacher, Kunkhyen (Chinese: Jacmyang Qoinqen) was sentenced to nine years on charges of "carrying out splittist activities" and a fourth Tibetan, Jarib Lothok, received a three-year sentence for helping to send photos abroad.

Free Tibet Campaign is calling for the immediate release of Runggye Adak, Adak Lopoe, Kunkhyen, Jarib Lothok, who have been convicted on trumped up charges.
We are concerned for their well being as torture of political prisoners is routine practice in Tibetan prisons.

TAKE ACTION!

Write to your MP and ask him or her to contact Lord Malloch-Brown, Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN.

As a constituent your MP has a responsibility to listen to you and raise issues on your behalf with relevant Ministers (who are not accountable to members of the public in the same way).
By writing to your MP, and requesting a response from the relevant Minister, your concern about Tibet is reaching two important audiences and is triggering the appropriate mechanism for government action.

(Your MPs name)
The House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA

You can find your MP and send him or her an e-mail via the website www.writetothem.com.

If you do not know who your MP is, phone the House of Commons Information Office on 020 7219 4272.

Ask your MP to:
i. Sign Early Day Motion (EDM) 347 tabled by Norman Baker MP calling for Runggye Adak's release (you can find more information on the EDM here.

ii. Write to Lord Malloch-Brown and ask him to publicly condemn the sentencing of Runggye Adak, Adak Lopoe, Kunkhyen and Lothok and call on the Chinese authorities to release them immediately.

iii. Write to the Chinese Ambassador and call for the four men's immediate release.

We also need you to write to The Chinese Ambassador in London.

Madam Fu Ying
Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the United Kingdom
49-51 Portland Place
London
W1B 1JL
E-mail: press@chinese-embassy.org.uk
Fax: 020 7636 5578

Tell her that:
i. The sentencing of Runggye Adak, Lopoe, Kunkhyen and Lothok will be viewed by the outside world as proof that the Chinese government does not respect the fundamental right of the Tibetan people to freely express their opinion, as enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

ii. If China is to be respected as leader on the global stage, and a truly worthy Olympic host, it must demonstrate to the world that it respects the rights of the Tibetan people, as set out in both Chinese and international law.

iii. The prisoners should be released immediately.

Write to the Governor of Sichuan Province

Jiang Jufen, Governor of Sichuan Province
Address: c/o Protocol and Press Division of Foreign Affairs Office of Sichuan Province
100 Dongsanduan, Yihuanlu, Chengdu 610021
Phone/Fax: +86 28 8435 6789

Links to Urgent Actions involving Runggye Adak:

03/12/07: Runggye Adak's sentence
18/11/07: Runggye Adak EDM
08/08/07: Arrests at Lithang protest