E/CN.4/1998/6 page 19 her religious beliefs. However, according to the authorities, proselytizing in public places or from door to door exceeds the individual right of followers to profess their religious beliefs. The authorities also stated that the claims that the Jehovah's Witnesses had been denigrated in the local press in the town of Assenovgrad were untrue. It was explained that the police had intervened in numerous cases brought to their attention by citizens complaining that they had been disturbed at home by Jehovah's Witnesses, whose activities went beyond freedom of thought, conscience and religion. It was further stated that Mr. Ralph Armlruster had impeded law enforcement officials in the performance of their duty. Finally, it was reported that the Alternative Military Service Act, which was due to come into force shortly, would deal in detail with the grounds for refusal to perform normal military service and the forms of alternative military service. 73. China replied that 58-year-old Chadrel Rimpoche, former Vice-President of the Political Advisory Conference of the Autonomous Region of Tibet and former Director of the Board of Management of Trashilhumpo Monastery in Shigatse, together with his accomplices Champa Chung, former Deputy Head of the Board of Management of Dechingesanpochang (Shigatse district), and Samdrup, former Director-General of the Zhangmu subsidiary of the Gangjian Company in Tibet, had been found guilty of plotting against national unity, after an investigation and trial by the People's Intermediate Court in Shigatse district; in collusion with separatists abroad, they had engaged in activities jeopardizing national unity and threatening social stability and the development of Tibet. They were also found guilty of divulging State secrets in breach of the rules on security, and all three of them voluntarily admitted to their crimes. 74. On 21 April 1997, the People's Intermediate Court in Shigatse district sentenced Chadrel Rimpoche to five years' imprisonment for having plotted against national unity, with three years' suspension of his political rights, and two years' imprisonment for having divulged State secrets; the grounds invoked by the Court were articles 92, 186 (1), 23, 24, 51, 52, 64 and 59 (2) of the Criminal Code of the People's Republic of China. In view of the circumstances of the case and in conformity with the law, the Court reduced the total sentence to six years' imprisonment, but still with three years' suspension of political rights. Champa Chung and Samdrup were sentenced to four years' imprisonment with two years' suspension of political rights and to two years' imprisonment with one year's suspension of political rights respectively. 75. As the case involved State secrets, the Court decided, in accordance with article 152 (1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the People's Republic of China, that the trial would not be public, and informed the accused of the grounds for its decision at the commencement of the proceedings. Chadrel Rimpoche and Champa Chung said that they would not use the services of lawyers and that they would themselves exercise their right of defence. Samdrup chose a defence counsel. After the hearing, all three accused made their final statements. The Court handed down its verdict, which all three accepted, stating that they would not appeal. 76. According to the information provided by China, “Chinese citizens enjoy freedom of religious belief. Chinese legislation guarantees the right to