By Tenzin Monlam
DHARAMSHALA, December 7: The Barkham County People’s Intermediate Court sentenced around ten Tibetans including monks to varying prison terms on December 6 in Ngaba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefectures.
According to Kanyag Tsering of Kirti Monastery here in Dharamshala, four monks of Nagba Kirti monastery – Drukda, Lobsang Khedup, Lobsang Gayphel and Lodoe – received the harshest sentence.
“Drukda, 50, has been sentenced to 14 years and his whereabouts still unknown since his arrest from the monastery in November last year. According to sources, he was arrested for organizing a celebration of the exile leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 80th Birthday,” said Kanyag. He also stated that the monk from Ngaba was also a former political prisoner earlier imprisoned in 2008 for over a year.
Lobsang Khedup, 44, has been arrested for his involvement in setting up a prayer ceremony on His Holiness on his 80th Birthday. “He was also a former political prisoner have served a three year sentence in 2011. During his time, he was subjected to extreme torture and upon his release he was in poor condition. His family had to incur a lot to nurse him back to health,” said Lobsang Yeshi, another monk of Kirti Monastery based here.
Lobsang Gephel (29) and Lodro (41) have been sentenced to twelve and nine years respectively and their whereabouts also remain unknown. They both had been arrested in 2011 and released in 2013.
Amongst laypeople, a 41-year old Tibetan woman, Bonko Kyi, arrested in November last year has been sentenced to seven years in prison for her involvement in arranging the grand 80th birthday celebration of the Dalai Lama. She was arrested in 2011 and 2012 and was imprisoned for few months before her family managed to get her released. Since then she has been under surveillance.
Akyakya (35) who was earlier arrested in 2011 for links to a self immolation has been sentenced to five years, whereas Tsultrim has been sentenced to six years.
There are also reports of three other Tibetans having been sentenced but details were not available. Tarey and Tsendra have been sentenced to eight years, while Tsultrim has received six years’ imprisonment.
