By Tenzin Monlam
DHARAMSHALA, JAN 27: Arrested for his alleged involvement in the self-immolation in Machu County, the Chinese authorities released a Tibetan doctor on Jan. 21, reported RFA.
The authorities took Khedrup, in his 50s, on December 14 last year under the suspicion of his involvement in sharing photos and videos of Tashi Rabten’s self-immolation on December 8, 2016 in Machu County in Kanlho Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province.
“He was held for over a month in Machu County. During that time he was tortured, beaten and suffered other mistreatment at the hands of the police during interrogation,” a source said on condition of anonymity.
“But the authorities could not produce any evidence of his crime, and he was therefore released on January 21,” he added.
The authorities warned the resident doctor at Mura Monastery in Machu not to discuss anything that had happened to him in prison with others.
Moreover the official also warned him that he would be closely watched and his daily movements tracked. He was also cautioned that he could be arrested again in future.
The source also added that his phone and other belongings confiscated at the time of his arrest were not returned upon his release.
Tashi Rabten, 33, set himself on fire on December 8, 2016 at about 7:00 p.m. (local time) on a road leading from the Machu County center to the Machu Bridge. He called for ‘Tibet’s Freedom’, return of the exiled Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the release of 11th Panchen Lama. 146 Tibetans have self immolated since 2009.
