MICHAEL STIPE - STIPE JOINS FREE TIBET CAMPAIGN

R.E.M. rocker MICHAEL STIPE and British actor JEREMY IRONS have voiced their support for Tibetan independence by appearing in a poster campaign on behalf of the Free Tibet organisation.
The stars are among a host of celebrities who have taken part in the T for Tibet initiative, which features them making a 'T' sign with their hands in the photographs.
And Anne Holmes, the Acting Director of Free Tibet Campaign, hopes the hand gesture will catch on ahead of the summer (08) Olympics in Beijing, China.
She says, "We are confident the campaign and the T hand signal will go global quickly. Now all we need are some brave athletes who are willing to show they care about human rights by making the T sign in Beijing."
Tibet lost independence to China in 1951, and Chinese authorities have come under fire in recent months over their human rights record in the region.