DHARAMSHALA, MARCH 22: The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy said reports of arrest and subsequent sentencing of three Tibetans in Tibet’s Sangchu County between 2008 and 2009 have emerged now through its sources in Tibet.
Chinese authorities had sentenced three Tibetans including a father of two to varied prison terms five years ago in Sangchu County, Kanlho Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai province, the TCHRD said citing sources.
“The sentences were passed in 2009 in the aftermath of the 2008 uprising in Tibet, but due to the security clampdown and tightened control over information, their fate has remained unknown till today”, the Tibetan right group said from its office here.
Rigzin Tsering, 40, had been sentenced to 12 years in prison, while Nyingchak Gyal, 44, and Tashi Tsering, 33, had been sentenced to five and seven years in prison respectively, said TCHRD.
Rigzin Tsering from Rongtsa Village in Sangchu County was arrested in April 2008 and taken to Sangchu County. There was no information about him for almost a year. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison on 24 April 2009. He is serving his term in a prison in Tian Shui city in Gansu Province.
Nyingchak Gyal and Tashi Tsering were also arrested around April 2008. They were sentenced to five and seven years’ imprisonment respectively. However, it is not known which prison or labor camp they are held in currently.
According to TCHRD sources, all three were arrested for their participation in a protest on 18 March 2008 in Sangchu.
“On 18 March 2008, local Tibetan men in Sangchu conducted an ancient ritual on the mountain of Tag Go (Eng: Tiger’s Head). While assembling on the mountain, they decided that they must do something for the cause of Tibet’s freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama. So they started raising slogans and marched towards the local government office. The local cadres and police however dispersed the crowd of protesters, warning them of serious consequences,” TCHRD quoted its source as saying on condition of anonymity.
The Chinese security forces started rounding up several Tibetans later, including Rigzin Tsering, Nyingchak Gyal and Tashi Tsering, the source added. The TCHRD said it was difficult for its source to estimate the exact number of people arrested at that time due to heavy restrictions imposed on Tibetans around that time.
Rigzin Tsering lived with his wife, Dolkar Tso, and two children.
