Prague - The Czech government has asked China to stop violent persecution of demonstrations in Lhasa, Tibet.
Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek's plan to visit the Summer Olympic Games in China remains unchanged, though.
"We condemn violence committed against protesters that want to express their opinion freely, and we ask it to be stopped immediately," reads the administration's statement. According to unofficial information, the demonstrations in Tibet have already seen dozens of people dead and a number injured.
This statement was produced one week after the Czech Green Party decided to commemorate the 48th anniversary of the Tibetan uprising by hoisting a Tibetan flag in a window of their faction office in the Chamber of Deputies, lower house of the Czech parliament.
According to Topolánek, the Czech public places strong emphasis on the protection of human rights and basic freedoms. "We ask all the persons that were preventively detained to be released and not to be submitted to humiliating treatment," explained the government in its statement where it also expresses its belief that the situation in Tibet should be solved through a dialogue even with the participation of the Dalai Lama.
PM: I could change my mind
In addition, the cabined demanded free access to all information about what is happening in Tibet to be granted by the Chinese government.
"A necessary step toward this end would entail enabling representatives of independent media into the region and abolishing censorship," stated the government.
However, the PM is not planning to boycott the Summer Olympics in China. Though if the situation in Tibet does not improve, this may be an option Topolánek might consider.
The possibility of boycotting the games in China due to its poor human rights record is being discussed worldwide from the time the country was granted a right to hold them.
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"If the situation will deteriorate, I cannot rule out the possibility of not going to the Olympics, but there is still time," explained Topolánek.
