1.2 million Tibetans died due to Chinese invation

Since China invaded Tibet in 1950, more than 1.2 million Tibetans have died as a direct result of the occupation, more than 6,000 monasteries have been destroyed, and thousands of Tibetans have been imprisoned and tortured for their political or religious beliefs.

The Dalai Lama, Tibet's political and spiritual leader, was forced to flee Tibet in 1959. He escaped to India along with more than 120,000 other Tibetans, and established the Tibetan Government in Exile in Dharamsala, India.

Recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize and Congressional Gold Medal for his commitment to nonviolence and human rights, the Dalai Lama continues to be vilified by the Chinese Government.

Last November, Tibetan nomad Runggye Adak was sentenced to 8 years in prison for simply calling for the return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet.