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Details emerge of three monks arrested in eastern Tibet

Tibet Watch has learned of the detention of three Tibetan monks in eastern Tibet during the past three years. The monks, one of whom has since been tried and imprisoned, are all being held in undisclosed locations. 

Thubpa, 32, a monk affiliated with the Trotsik Monastery in Ngaba County, was taken into custody at midnight in late 2017. Neither his current location nor the rationale behind his arrest have been revealed. He had previously served a year and a half sentence due to allegations of him burning the Chinese flag during a protest on 16th March, 2008. According to sources, his father had also been arrested due to accusations of his involvement in the uprising on 16th March 2011.          

Lobsang Thamkhe, aged around 37 and a former monk at Kirti Monastery, was arbitrarily arrested last year. The Chinese courts sentenced him to four years in prison on 31st July, 2019. However, his whereabouts and the grounds of his arrest have still not been disclosed. Thamkhe was enrolled in Kirti Monastery at an early age and graduated from the monastery’s Young Buddhist School. The monastic school was later forcefully shut down. He had gone onto continue his higher studies of Buddhist scriptures until his arrest.                         

Lobsang Thamkhe, who was sentenced to prison last month

Lobsang Thamkhe, who was sentenced to prison last month

Lobsang Dorjee, arrested in August 2018

Lobsang Dorjee, arrested in August 2018

Thupba, arrested in 2017

Thupba, arrested in 2017

Lobsang Dorjee, aged around 36 and also a former monk in Kirti Monastery, was detained in the middle of the night during August last year. The full details of his arrest and whereabouts have still have not been disclosed. Dorjee had previously been arrested and had served a three years sentence for a protest he was involved in 2011.         

The restriction imposed across Tibet mean that it can take months for details of arrests inside Tibet to emerge.   

John JonesHuman Rights, Arrest