E/CN.4/1991/56 page 71 reportedly arrested and sentenced to prison terms ranging from five to 19 years and to deprivation of political rights for additional periods of up to nine years; they were all from Drepung Monastery, Lhasa. The names of the monks were given as follows: 1. Ngawang Buchung, 2. Jampel Losel, 3. Ngawang Osel, 4. Ngawang Rinchen, 5. Kelsang Ngodrup (or Dhondup), 6. Jampel Monlam, 7. Ngawang Gyaltsen (or Gyentsen), 8. Jampel Tsering, 9. Jampel Chunjor, 10. Ngawang Gongar." 49. On 17 September 1990, the Government of China sent its comments to the Special Rapporteur regarding the above-mentioned information: "1. Some participants in the riots in Lhasa are monks or nuns who were punished according to law by the judicial organs of the Tibetan Autonomous Region. They were punished not for their religious belief but for their criminal activities aimed at splitting the country, creating riots and jeopardizing State security and normal social order. They put up banners of 'independence of Tibet', wrote slogans advocating 'independence for Tibet', distributed magnetic tapes of speeches and songs preaching 'independence for Tibet', and participated in the riots in Lhasa. All of the afore-mentioned actions violated the criminal law of China. The Chinese judicial organs have duly given them punishment according to their crimes. The situations are as follows: Namga was sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of 3 years. Dagwa was sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of 4 years. Cering Ngoizhu was sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of 12 years. It should be pointed out that all Chinese citizens, with or without religious belief, enjoy equal political rights such as freedom of speech, of assembly, of association, of procession and of demonstration as is provided in the Chinese Constitution. At the same time they must abide by the law. No one committing a crime can escape punishment according to law. The punishment of criminals should not be taken as religious intolerance. These are two matters of different nature. 2. Ngawang Buchung and some others set up illegal organizations for the 'independence for Tibet' and were involved in their activities. For the purpose of splitting China, they participated in the riots in Lhasa, illegally collected intelligence and sent it to foreign spy organizations, and attempted to sneak across the border. The related decisions of the Lhasa Intermediate People's Court are as follows: Jampel Monlan, Danzim Puncog, Jampel Tsering, Nagwang Congar were respectively sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of 5 years; Ngawang Rinchen was sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of 9 years;