Our 11-Year-Old Legal Battle Comes To An End Today!
(By Sethu Das, November 20, 2016)

Dear Friends of Tibet Members and Supporters:
Our legal battle with the Chinese Embassy, New Delhi and the representatives of the State comes to an end today after almost 11 years with CA, Kallianpur, National Coordinator of Friends of Tibet and I being acquitted from the case except Tibetan poet-activist Tenzin Tsundue, the main protester, who was then the General Secretary of Friends of Tibet.

In April 2005 Tenzin Tsundue staged a daring individual protest when PRC Premier Wen Jiabao was visiting Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore. Standing on the balcony of a 200-feet-high tower at the IISc, he unfurled a "Free Tibet" banner and displayed the outlawed Tibetan National Flag shouting "Wen Jiabao, you cannot silence us". As a result of his actions, the Indian police later ordered a travel ban on Tsundue.

On behalf of our organisation and at a personal level, I sincerely thank Adv Byatha N Jagadeesh and Adv Manoj Gunnaiah who took this battle to a logical end. I thank Alternative Law Forum, Bangalore, Lawrence Liang, the Legal Researcher, Adv Aravind, Adv Clifton D' Rozario, Adv Aarti Mundkur and the team of lawyers who supported and offered voluntary legal service to Friends of Tibet since April 2005. We also thank the unknown, unseen "Jairam" who came forward to take protesters on bail from the Hosur Central Prison soon after the act. We thank all Friends of Tibet Campaigners, Volunteers and well-wishers who helped and supported us in our journey.

As always Friends of Tibet would continue its struggle for an Independent Tibet in solidarity with Tibetan people living and suffering under the Chinese occupation.

Regards,

Sethu Das
(Founder, Friends of Tibet)

Bangalore,
November 20, 2016

April 13, 2005: Tenzin Tsundue, Sethu Das and CA Kallianpur of Friends of Tibet with lawyers from Alternative Law Forum, Bangalore after their release from the Hosur Central Prison, Karnataka, India.
November 20, 2016: Tenzin Tsundue, Sethu Das and CA Kallianpur of Friends of Tibet with Adv Byatha N Jagadeesh and Adv Manoj Gunnaiah after the final court hearing in Bangalore, Karnataka, India.

- 'IB Had Tipped-Off Police About Tibetan Protester' (Times of India | April 13, 2005) READ
- 'Breaching the Wall' (By Saurabh Shukla | India Today | April 28, 2005) READ