DHARAMSHALA, September 9: A Tibetan monk who was arrested on July 10 has been traced to a Dragmer Detention Center in Rebkong County, the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy said.
Gomar Choephel, as he is known because of his native village Gomar and a monk of Rongwo monastery in Rebgong County in Malho, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province was detained on July 10, 2015.
His family and relatives had earlier expressed concern about his whereabouts and safety as there was no information available about him. The Chinese authorities had not given any reason for his arrest.
Though the exact reason for his arrest is not known the TCHRD cited a source as saying his arrest could have been prompted by suspicions of being in possession of the Dalai Lama’s picture in his mobile phone and sharing it.
“He might have been arrested for keeping images of the Dalai Lama in his mobile phone, and sending these images to his friends,” TCHRD quoted its source.
Choephel was born in Gomar Village in Nyenthog Township in Rebgong County in Eastern Tibet. He joined the Thoesam Norling College at Rongwo Monastery at a young age.
“TCHRD condemns the arbitrary nature of Choephel’s detention and calls on the Chinese authorities to release him immediately. The suspected ‘crime’ for which he was detained is without any legal basis since freedom of religion and belief is a right recognized in Chinese Constitution as well as International Human Rights Law. Chinese authorities actively violate religious freedom of Tibetan Buddhists,” the only rights group run by Tibetans said in a statement.
