By Tenzin Dharpo
DHARAMSHALA, Aug. 18: Two Tibetan political prisoners have reportedly been released from Chinese prison after completion of their lengthy prison terms in occupied Tibet. Exile sources say that both the men were convicted on the charges of “inciting separatism” by Chinese courts.
Namkha Jam, belonging to Changya Village in Rebgong County in Malho Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, was released on August 10 after serving a six-year term. He was detained in February 2012 for sharing information and pictures of self-immolation protests with sources outside Tibet and later sentenced to six years in prison by the Malho Intermediate People’s Court.
Another Tibetan man who was sentenced to 12 years in prison, Gonpo Tseten, was released on the night of August 13. “Authorities barred his family members and relatives from taking pictures and videos of his release,” Dharamshala based Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy said.
The rights group also said Tsetan was released one and half years early “because of his ‘good behaviour’ during imprisonment.” The 40-year-old was sentenced for leading the protest at Utsu Chugrar village in Bhelpan township, Machu County, Gansu Province during the Pan Tibet uprising in Tibet 2008.
TCHRD said that although both men have been released from prison, they will continue to be subjected to ‘deprivation of political rights’. “As stipulated by the Chinese Criminal Law, individuals convicted for ‘endangering state security’ and other serious crimes are required to serve a supplementary sentence of ‘deprivation of political rights’ that is imposed for one to five years. Individuals deprived of political rights are not only subjected to intrusive police surveillance but also lose their rights to freedom of speech, press, assembly, association, procession, and demonstration,” the rights group said.
