During a prison visit by his mother, she was told of how he had been taken to Gutsa Detention Centre, where he was severely beaten with wooden sticks and iron rods, he sustained injuries to his entire body and wounds to his head.

Through TV, radio and newspapers, Chinese authorities had broadcasted Lobsang Tenzin's arrest and expulsion from university and legally notified his family of the arrest.

The Lhasa People’s Intermediate Court finally sentenced him on 19 January 1989. Lobsang was charged for being the primary instigator of a People's Armed Police officer’s death and was sentenced to death within a two year period.

In 1989, despite being on death row, he wrote a letter supporting the pro-independence demonstrations which was then smuggled out to the students of Tibet University, together with three fellow prisoners and some non-prisoners he co-founded a group called Snow Lion Youth for Tibetan independence.

Discovering the movement, officials brutally beat and transferred the inmates to Outridu Prison, where they were subjected to solitary confinement for 34 days, Lobsang Tenzin was also put into shackles for 17 months.

In 1990, following his release from solitary confinement, he organized the first known protest in Drapchi. When his fellow prisoner and activist, Lhakpa Tsering died, Lobsang tore his sheet in half and wrote on the two halves, “we mourn the death of Lhakpa Tsering” . He went on to organize a group of 150 prisoners to carry banners and march through the courtyard or the main prison office demanding answers to the death of Lhakpa Tsering.

Surrounded by armed guards, Lobsang demanded that the death be investigated and for the medical officers and guards involved to be punished. Coinciding with visiting day, the news of the protest quickly spread throughout Lhasa, generating a large amount of public support.

As a consequence, every prisoner who was involved had their sentence extended to 5 – 6 years, however this decision was abandoned over fears of rioting.

On another occasion in March 31 1991, Lobsang Tenzin wrote a petition listing all the names of prisoners who had been tortured together with an appeal of help from the American government. When James Lilley, U.S Ambassador to China visited Drapchi prison, Lobsang along with another prisoner Tenpa Wangdrag, attempted to hand the letter over, it was confiscated by the Ambassador's Chinese interpreter.

Embarrassed by their actions, the prison officers again sentenced Lobsang and Tenpa to solitary
confinement for three weeks. However, together with the personal intervention of the Ambassador and international pressure, Lobsangs death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in 1991.

Lobsang Tenzin has become a hero amongst prisoners for his brave and courageous efforts to fight against all odds. Due to his popularity he was transferred to Powo Tramo Prison in Kongpo and his sentence reduced to 20 years, he is due to be released on April 26 2013.