The Tibetan Government-in-Exile has released new video footage of the protests in Lhasa last year that confirms the use of extreme violence and torture by Chinese authorities. The Chinese communist regime has always denied that torture is used in Tibet.

"This extremely rare and shocking footage confirms our worst fears about the horrific pain and suffering Tibetans are experiencing at the hands of the Chinese authorities in the wake of last year's uprising," said Lhadon Tethong, Executive Director of Students for a Free Tibet, in a press release.

"The brutality of the Chinese authorities against Tibetans in this footage is not the exception to, but rather the rule of, Beijing's treatment of the Tibetan people over the past 50 years,” he said.

One segment of the video, recorded on March 14, 2008, shows Chinese police beating Tibetan prisoners with batons, after they were arrested in the protests. The prisoners have their hands tied behind their backs and can only curl in an attempt to resist the beatings.

Another segment of the video shows gruesome images of a young Tibetan by the name of Tendar being tortured by Chinese authorities. He was reportedly fired at, beaten with an electric baton, burned with cigarettes, and his right foot was pierced by a nail.

The video shows him after being brought to the TAR People’s Hospital. His body is covered with rotting wounds from lack of proper treatment. Tendar died from his injuries on June 19, 2008.

The protests in Tibet began on March 10, 2008, leading up to the Beijing Olympics.

Officials from the Chinese Communist Party have repeatedly denied that torture was used in Tibet. In November 2008 when the U.N. panel released a report on the use of torture on Tibetans by Chinese police, the Chinese Foreign Ministry called the reports “untrue and slanderous” and accused the committee members of being “prejudiced” against China. However, the regime imposed martial law and banned tourists and journalists from Tibet for months after the protests.

Tibetan activists have asked, why, if the communist regime has nothing to hide, does it lock down the country and deny any independent investigation?

In the Lhasa protests and the following crackdown by the communist regime, close to 220 Tibetans were killed, more than 1,294 were seriously injured, and more than 1,000 simply disappeared. The Chinese authorities arrested more than 5,600 Tibetans, of which 290 are known to have been sentenced.

The video, which is graphic and at times difficult to watch, can be seen:  http://footage.tibetanbridges.com/Torture-in-Tibet.mov