Richard Gere Criticizes China for Abuse in Tibet

Richard Gere is taking a swipe at China for what he calls its widespread abuse of Tibetans. Gere, a practicing Buddhist and a longtime supporter of the Dalai Lama and Tibet, is in Seoul to promote a Tibet-themed exhibition of photos taken by him and other photographers. It's impossible to look at the photographs and not feel Tibet's suffering, Gere said today at the Seoul Arts Center. He said China's government is torturing and killing people in Tibet.

China maintains that Tibet has been part of its territory for centuries. But many Tibetans say the region was functionally independent for much of its history. (More Richard Gere stories.)