Following protests in Labrang, Lama Jigme, 42, a monk from Labrang Monastery, was arrested on 21 March 2008 for no apparent reason and subjected to torture for more than a month. He almost died in the interrogation room.

On 3 September 2008 Lama Jigme made a videotape in which he gave testimony directly to the camera about the torture he suffered in detention.

The video was released by Voice of America’s Tibetan service, after which Lama Jigme went missing for two months. He recently returned to the monastery but on 4 November 2008 he was re-arrested by more than 70 armed police.

He is believed to be held in Lanzhou City.

Click here to read Lama Jigme’s testimony in English

Please see below for further information on Lama Jigme and his experiences of detention.

  
Lama Jigme Gyatso spent one month in hospital before being discharged.

Further Information about Lama Jigme Gyatso and his detentions

Personal information:

Lay name Jigme Gyatso, commonly known as Jigme, aka Jigme Guri.
Hometown Gansu Province, Gannan Prefecture，Xiahe District, Jiujia
township, Luchang village.

At the age of 14 Jigme left home and entered Labrang Monastery. He was the Director of Labrang Monastery Vocational School and Deputy Director of the Labrang Democratic Management Committee.

Jigme's father is deceased; he has a mother, two sisters and a brother. His
mother lives with his younger brother whose name is Sonam Tsering.
Sonam Tsering’s son, Sangay Gyatso, has lived with
Lama Jigme in the monastery since he was small; he will be 14 this
year and also left home to become a monk.

Lama Jigme's earlier experiences of detention

The first detention

In February 2006, holding a passport, Lama Jigme travelled to India, received teachings from His Holiness the Dalai Lama and had an audience with him. On his return to Labrang Monastery, local police detained him for over 40 days. Because of the lack of evidence he was then allowed to return to his monastery. At that time over RMB 10,000 in cash was confiscated from him, money that was to be donated to another monastery; this money has not been returned.

The second detention

On 15 March 2008 Xiahe’s (Labrang) monks and lay community responded to the
unrest in Lhasa by staging mass protests which were suppressed; shortly
after this many monks and lay people were arrested. Lama Jigme
did not participate in the protests of 15 March but the authorities suspected that he was the ringleader and on 21 March he was arrested for no reason and subjected to torture for more than a month. He almost died in the interrogation room.

Lama Jigme's mother and younger brother Sonam Tsering learned of Jigme’s arrest from a neighbour who learned of the news from Radio Free Asia. Sonam Tsering went to the detention centre every day to take bedding, clothes and food but he was not allowed to see Jigme. After more than 20 days, Sonam Tsering learned that Jigme had been transferred to a detention centre in Linxia. On learning this Sonam Tsering hurried to Linxia but the detention centre refused to admit that Jigme was being held there so he had no choice but to return home. After more than a month, Sonam Tsering received a notice from the Public Security Bureau (PSB) that Lama Jigme was in a coma in a military hospital in Linxia.

Jigme received nearly two months of medical treatment following his release from detention.

(1) Jigme was first held in Xiahe County’s People’s Armed Police
guest house for 3 days and 3 nights where there was one person to
each room. One PAP officer holding a gun to Lama Jigme said: "This
is made to kill you, Ahlos (derogatory term used for Tibetans by
some Chinese). You make one move, and I will definitely shoot and
kill you with this gun. I will throw your corpse in the trash and
nobody will ever know."

(2) Jigme was held in Xiahe County detention centre for 3 days and
3 nights. Each cell held over 10 people and there were more than
ten cells. At that time 70 to 80 people were being held there.
Jigme’s cell held 10 people who were nomads and peasants, Jigme was
the only monk. All were from Xiahe and had been arrested in
connection with the March incidents.

(3) Jigme was held in Linxia detention centre in cell number 9 for
28 days. His cell held over 10 people, 2 Han Chinese people
charged with theft, seven Hui muslims charged with theft and one
Hui Muslim imam. Jigme was the only Tibetan and the only monk.
During those 28 days Jigme was interrogated 3 times, each time his
head was covered with a black blindfold and he was taken to Hehai
hotel by police car. In a standard room there was a stool, a Han
Chinese policeman who could speak Tibetan (whose name was Zhang
Zhan Min) and 2 policemen from the Dongxiang minority who
interrogated him. The first interrogation lasted 1 day and 1 night;
the second one lasted 2 days and 2 nights and the third one 3 days
and 3 nights. Lama Jigme was tortured during these interrogations.

(4) Jigme spent 2 days and 2 nights at Linxia rehabilitation
centre. Between Linxia rehabilitation centre and Xiahe, there were
more than 30 fully armed soldiers and 10 policemen. There were no
Tibetans who participated in his interrogation sessions in which he
would be tortured to the point of unconsciousness.

(5) Lama Jigme spent 6 days and 6 nights at Linxia city’s People's
Liberation Army Hospital Number 7. Later he stayed more than a
month in hospital before finally being discharged.

(6) Finally, Jigme was released according to the legal term “qubao
houshen” (released on bail and pending trial). “Qubao houshen”
includes a number of restrictions for a year, leaving your home is
forbidden, moving away from your home is also forbidden and it is
also forbidden to give interviews.

The third detention

On 3 September, Lama Jigme made a videotape public in which he
related directly to the camera approximately 20 minutes of his
personal testimony.

The video was released by Voice of America’s Tibetan service after
which Lama Jigme went missing for two months, some say that he was
in hiding whilst others say he was under house arrest. What is
clear is that he recently returned to the monastery and on 4th
November at around 1pm he was arrested by more than 70 armed
police.

On the morning of 5 November, Xiahe County Public Security Bureau
met with Sonam Tsering and said they did not know about the
situation as they were not involved in the case. He was told that
Lama Jigme had been taken away by the Public Security Bureau of
Gansu Province and was currently being held in Lanzhou so he could
go there to enquire further. Sonam Tsering does not have the means
to travel to Lanzhou.

UPDATE: Lama Jigme was released on 2 May 2009 after 6 months without charge. His arrest came after two prominent Chinese lawyers, Li Fangping and Jiang Tianyong, agreed to take up his case. The lawyers have since had their licenses removed by the Chinese authorities in Beijing.

Times article on Jigme's release