3 monks sentenced up to 7 years' imprisonment in Kardze
Phayul[Monday, October 19, 2009 12:58]
Dharamsala, October 19 – Three Tibetan monks had been sentenced to various prison terms in Chengdu, Sichuan province in April 2009, the Voice of Tibet radio service reported Saturday citing a Tibetan monk of Sera monastery in south India.

Samdup, a monk at Sera monastery, told the radio that Tsewang Dakpa, Thupten Gyatso and Gyatso Nima were arrested last year on June 6 for carrying out a protest in Drango County (Also spelled as Drago), Kardze Tibet Autonomous Prefecture. The three monks had shouted anti China slogans, demanded the release of the Panchen Lama Gendun Choekyi Nima, and accused the Chinese government of subjecting the Tibetan people to fifty years of tyranny. They also demanded that the Chinese government allow the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the Potala Palace. Their protest lasted for about thirty minutes following which they were arrested by the police before being beaten up.

Until recently, no one knew where the three had been held. Rumors had spread last year that Tsewang Dakpa had already died. However, the families and relatives of the three monks had come to know that the three were being held at a prison in the outskirts of Chengdu. Tsewang Dakpa’s father and a relative tried to visit the prison to meet him but were not allowed by the prison authorities.

According to the source, Tsewang Dakpa received 7 years of imprisonment, Thupten Gyatso had been sentenced to 3 years in prison and Gyatso Nima had been sentenced to one year in prison.