By Tenzin Monlam
DHARAMSHALA, July 25: A Tibetan political prisoner who is a monk of Thangkor Sogtsang Monastery in Zoege region has been released on July 20 after his sentence of two and half years ended, RFA reported.
Lobsang Tingzin was one of the three monks arrested in July 2013 for their alleged involvement in the self-immolation of 18-year-old monk named Kunchok Sonam of the same monastery.
Kunchok Sonam self-immolated as a form of protest against the Chinese rule in Tibet around 8:40 a.m. (local time) on July 20, 2013. He died on the spot following which Chinese police stationed nearby tried to take away the body.
However, Tibetans nearby intervened and stopped the police from taking the body away. Subsequently, several Tibetans were arrested by the police in retaliation.
More than a dozen Tibetans, including the mother of Kunchok Sonam, his relatives, teacher, and monks of the Monastery were arbitrarily detained following his protest.
It was reported that more than 1,500 Tibetans gathered at his monastery to pay their last respects and to take part in the prayer ceremony for him.
He was the son of Sonam Palden and Lentrug.
So far, there have been 143 cases of Tibetans resorting to self-immolation as a form of protest in Tibet since 2009.
