Eight Tibetans given prison sentences for alleged role in Machen county demonstrations
 

A court in eastern Tibet has sentenced eight Tibetans to prison for their alleged role in inciting protests and demonstrations against the Chinese government which took place in Lajong town in Machen county on March 21 this year. Click here for Free Tibet's press release on the demonstrations.

The sentences were reported by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) which claims that its report was based on “confirmed” information. The sentences have not been reported so far in official Chinese state media and the only information available on the cases is that provided in the TCHRD report which did not specify the nature of the charges against the eight sentenced Tibetans.

The sentences were handed down on August 13 by The People’s Court of Machen county in Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (TAP) in eastern Tibet (Ch: Qinghai Province). According to TCHRD, the court sentenced six monks and two laypeople to prison terms of varying lengths:

Palden Gyatso (monk) was a disciplinarian at Ragya Monastery and was sentenced to seven years imprisonment.

Monk Tsultrim (monk) was a former disciplinarian and chant master of Ragya Monastery. He was sentenced to four years imprisonment.

Sangpo (monk) was a former treasurer of Ragya Monastery. He was sentenced to three years imprisonment.

Jamyang Khedrub (monk) was secretary of Ragya monastery’s administrative body. He was sentenced to two years prison imprisonment.

Gendun Ralo (monk at Ragya monastery) was sentenced to one year imprisonment.

Sherab Sangpo (monk at Ragya monastery, aged 27) was sentenced to two years imprisonment.

Hu-lo (Tibetan lay person) from Gya-sa Village was sentenced to one year imprisonment.

Yangkyab (Tibetan layperson) from Gyasa village was sentenced to six months imprisonment.

Background:

More than one thousand Tibetans took part in the demonstration in March, according to reliable information based on eyewitness accounts received by Free Tibet at the time. The demonstration, the largest to have taken place inside Tibet since the Spring 2008 protests, was sparked after a monk at Ragya monastery, who had earlier been detained by the local authorities, was seen plunging into a local river, prompting accusations by local Tibetans that he had committed suicide following mistreatment by the police.

Click here for a report on the demonstration by The Daily Telegraph
Click here for our press release about the demonstrations, including video

Matt Whitticase, External Communications: t +44 (0)20 7324 4605 / +44 (0)7515 788456 or email: matt@freetibet.org