
A Tibetan monk imprisoned for his direct and plainspoken writings on issues that are considered sensitive by the Chinese authorities was released last Sunday in Tsekhog (Ch: Zeku) County in Malho (Ch: Huangnan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, in the Tibetan province of Amdo.
Gartse Jigme, 42, was released on the evening of 4 February after serving more than five years in prison for allegedly ‘inciting separatism’ through his writings most of which contained his straightforward opinions on wide ranging subjects and issues including the Dalai Lama, Panchen Lama, self-immolation, rights of Tibetans, environment and minority issues. Gartse Jigme has since returned to his home in Siling (Ch: Xining).