Kathmandu – Five Tibetan independence activists were released early this
morning by Chinese authorities in Tibet. Tenzin Dorjee, Kirsten Westby,
Laurel Mac Sutherlin and Shannon Service were detained on Wednesday for
protesting China’s plans to take the Olympic torch over Mount Everest
and through Tibet ahead of the Beijing Olympic Games. American Jeff
Friesen was taken into custody on Thursday for suspected involvement in
the protest; all arrived safely in Kathmandu, Nepal at 9:30pm
local time/11am EST.

"I am so happy to have seen my country for the first time," said
Tibetan-American Tenzin Dorjee, the first known Tibetan exile to have
returned to Tibet in order to protest for independence. "I am more
confident than ever before that Tibet will be free."

The protest came on the eve of the International Olympic Committee
(IOC)’s decision to approve China’s plans to take the torch to the top
of Mt Everest and through Tibet. Tibetans and their supporters believe
the Chinese government is hoping to use the Games as a means to
legitimize its occupation of Tibet.

“We are very relieved that they have been released and that their
message of freedom and independence for Tibet has been carried the world
over, said Lhadon Tethong, Executive Director of Students for a Free
Tibet. “We oppose the IOC’s backing of the Chinese government’s
political agenda with the Games and will continue to shine the
international spotlight on China’s brutal occupation of Tibet.”

The Chinese government lodged an official complaint with the United
States over the protest, demanding that Washington prevent such
incidents in the future. "The United States should work to dispel the
odious influence of this and prevent similar incidents from occurring,"
said a foreign ministry spokesman.

The activists will be available for statements and interviews shortly.

Students for a Free Tibet (SFT) is a network of young people and
activists campaigning for Tibetan independence, with 650 chapters in
more than thirty countries worldwide. SFT is based in New York, with
offices in Vancouver, London, and Dharamsala, India. SFT is working to
shine the Olympic spotlight on China's occupation of Tibet.

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