A Tibetan middle school teacher and musician was released from Mianyang Prison near Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province, last month after serving nine years for allegedly engaging in espionage and separatist activities.
Jamyang Kunkhen was detained on 22 August 2007 in connection with solidarity protests staged against the arbitrary detention of Tibetan nomad named Ronggye Adrak.
Trulku Tenzin Delek Rinpoche was a popular and revered reincarnate lama who died in prison serving life imprisonment. He was in his 13th year of imprisonment when he died on 12 July 2015 at Chuandong Prison in Dazhu County in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province. Despite sustained and widespread appeal from the international community, Chinese authorities have failed to launch an investigation into Rinpoche’s death. No death certificate has been issued yet. Chinese state media claimed that he died of heart attack in the Dazhu County People’s Hospital near the prison.
A Tibetan youth who was detained for staging a peaceful solo protest against repressive Chinese rule has finally been identified as 17-year-old Tibetan nomad youth called Lobsang Thubten, or ‘Thubpe’ as he is affectionately called by friends and family.
Lobsang Thubten’s identity remained unknown since his arbitrary detention on 18 August 2015 in Lithang ( Ch: Litang) County, Kardze(Ch:Ganzi) Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province.
At about 9.40 am on 18 August, Lobsang Thubten stood outside a 110 police station (110 is the emergency phone number used for emergencies related to police, ambulance, fire extinguisher, etc.) carrying a large thangka painting of the Dalai Lama, and shouted aloud: “Tibet needs freedom. His Holiness the Dalai Lama should be invited to Tibet”. The site of protest is located at a place called Trungtrung Karmo in Lithang County.
The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) is pleased to learn that Ronggye A’drak, a Tibetan nomad who was imprisoned for staging a peaceful protest eight years ago, has been released after the completion of his sentence. Ronggye A’drak was released from prison and brought home by officials at around 1 am local time on 31 July in…
A Chinese court in Kardze County, Sichuan Province, sentenced a Tibetan monk to three years in jail for his involvement in protest against the “Patriotic Education” campaign launched in Lithang in 2007, according to confirmed information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD).
Jamyang Tenzin, a 35-year-old monk of Yonru Geyden Rabgayling Monastery was sentenced to three years in jail by the Kardze Intermediate People’s Court around 3 July 2009. According to source, Jamyang Tenzin was arrested on 3 October 2007 for opposing the “work team” from conducting “Patriotic re-education” Campaign in the Yonru Monastery in Lithang County. The lengthy detention of Jamyang Tenzin since his detention in October 2007 until his court sentence in July this year is a matter of great concern and was a clear violation of the Chinese constitution and the international laws. Almost nothing is known of the circumstances under which Jamyang Tenzin was tried. Moreover, there is no information on whether he was provided with any due legal process, representative of his choice as his family members were completely kept in limbo for the past more than 21 months since his detention in 2007.
According to the latest information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), Chinese authorities in Lithang County have significantly beefed up security measures by bringing more forces amidst severe restriction imposed on the movement of the people in Lithang following days of protests.
According to sources, “hundreds of People’s Armed Police (PAP) -a paramilitary force- in full combat gears has arrived in Lithang County in the past couple of days following protest by Tibetans in the area. Severe restrictions are being put on the movement of the people in Lithang. People from villages and monasteries were told not to move out of their houses and warn of serious consequences if they come out in the street. All the shops, and restaurants remain closed with streets bearing complete deserted look except for the hundreds of security forces in full combat gears. The situation is very tense in Lithang at the moment.”
Chinese police in Lithang County, Sichuan province, on Monday detained at least five more Tibetans after they joined the “peaceful protest demonstration” staged by 15 Tibetans in Lithang main market, according to information received by Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy.
The shops and restaurants in Lithang town remained closed following the protest demonstration.
The vehicular traffic movement between Lithang and Bathang, which is around 6-7 hours journey distant, was brought to a grinding halt after the protest and subsequent deployment of massive troops into the areas to check further Tibetan protest, sources told TCHRD.
According to additional information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) from reliable sources regarding the protest demonstration by 15 Tibetans in Lithang County yesterday, Sonam Tenpa, 29 years old and Lobsang Tenzin, 23, in particularly sustained severe injuries from the brutal beating at the site of the demonstration and the whereabouts of Gelek Kunga, still remains unknown.
Following yesterday’s solo protest by Lobsang Lhundup, a monk of Nekhor Monastery in Lithang County, Kardze “Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture” (‘TAP’) Sichuan Province, a group of 15 Tibetans from Lithang County staged a similar peaceful protest this morning, according to confirmed information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD).
Sonam Tenpa, 29 years old, a younger brother of Lobsang Lhundup along with fourteen other Tibetans staged a peaceful protest march at Lithang main market square this morning at around 11:40 AM (Beijing Standard Time) which lasted for around 2 hours, according to source. Sonam Tenpa who led the peaceful protest was known to be carrying a huge portrait of the Dalai Lama adorned with a traditional Tibetan scarf. The peaceful Tibetan protesters took to the street of Lithang main market chanting slogans, ‘Long Live the Dalai Lama,’ Independence for Tibet,’ ‘Swift return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet’ and ‘ No Losar (Tibetan New Year) celebration this year,’ sources described.
Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) received confirmed information that the Chinese government has just unleashed a massive patriotic political campaign in Lithang.
According to confirmed information, in the first week of September 2007, the Chinese government summoned the leaders of townships and monasteries in and around Lithang to commence the Patriotic Political Education Campaign.
Similarly, the concerned offices and officials summoned the Tibetan people from the Lithang Monastery to receive political education. The Tibetan people were made to learn by the Chinese officials about how the aristocrats, officials and serfs of the old pre-1959 Tibet subjected the Tibetan commoners to oppression, torture and servitude. The campaign included telling Tibetans how the Chinese liberation of Tibet has empowered the Tibetan commoners to rise up and to hold denunciation sessions (Tib: Thamzing) to those serfs who had oppressed and suppressed them.
The current fate and whereabouts of Adruk Lopoe, a 45-year old monk who was arrested by the Lithang County Public Security Bureau (PSB) officials on the evening of 21 August 2007, still remain unknown. According to confirmed information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), the Lithang County PSB officials released Adruk Gyatso and Adruk Nyima- two brothers of Adruk Lopoe six hours after their detention but they are still known to be under close surveillance.
Following a brief detention at Lithang County PSB Detention Centre, Adruk Lopoe was known to have been transferred to other an unknown location by the authorities.