Former Tibetan monk and political prisoner dies

Samdup

Samdup, a former Tibetan monk and political prisoner died on 17 February.

A former Tibetan political prisoner and monk called Samdup died from a diabetes-related illness at 50 years old, on 17 February this year.

Samdup, who was part of Drepung Monastery near Lhasa, was jailed for seven years after he was involved in a peaceful protest in Lhasa in 1992 with 12 monks from his monastery. 

His initial prison sentence was three years, but was extended to seven for unknown reasons.

Samdup was admitted to Lhasa Public Hospital at the beginning of this year for his diabetic complications and died in February.

His case is representative of many former political prisoners who are released but then die after suffering serious health problems. Tibetan political prisoners continue to suffer physical torture including hard labour, beatings, starvation, alongside mental torture. 

Furthermore, the lack of proper medical attention during sentence periods exacerbates underlying health conditions and causes health problems, which lead to more life-threatening illnesses among political prisoners in Tibet.