China rejected criticism of its treatment of Tenzin...

China rejected criticism of its treatment of Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche, a Tibetan Buddhist monk, who was convicted in a fatal bombing, saying he was prosecuted according to the law. Rinpoche received a suspended death sentence in December 2002 on charges of seeking independence for Tibet and taking part in bombings that killed one person in the western province of Sichuan. The New York-based Human Rights Watch had called for his release, saying "the Chinese government is misusing criminal charges to repress political, cultural and religious expression in Tibetan communities." Chinese authorities say the monk and his aide, Lobsang Dhondup, confessed to the bombings. But activists say they were mistreated in custody and didn't get a fair trial. Lobsang Dhondup was executed in January 2003. Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve.