Political Prisoners
There are more than 700 political prisoners in Tibet at present. Many of them were detained during the overwhelmingly peaceful protest of 2008, but some have been in prison for much longer. The International Tibet Network has formed a political prisoner campaign working group (PPCWP) to formulate an on-going campaign about Tibet's political prisoners; this campaign is profiling nine of these remarkable and courageous Tibetans, who are listed below. To visit the campaign's own website, please go to www.freetibetanheroes.org.
In addition to these nine prisoners, probably the most famous Tibetan political prisoner is the Panchen Lama, who was abducted with his family in 1995 at the age of six and has been under some form of house arrest ever since.
For a list of current political prisoners published by the International Campaign for Tibet, click here. See also the US Congressional-Executive Commission on China's prisoner database.
There are more than 700 political prisoners in Tibet at present. Many of them were detained during the overwhelmingly peaceful protest of 2008, but some have been in prison for much longer. The International Tibet Network has formed a political prisoner campaign working group (PPCWP) to formulate an on-going campaign about Tibet's political prisoners; this campaign is profiling nine of these remarkable and courageous Tibetans, who are listed below. To visit the campaign's own website, please go to www.freetibetanheroes.org.
In addition to these nine prisoners, probably the most famous Tibetan political prisoner is the Panchen Lama, who was abducted with his family in 1995 at the age of six and has been under some form of house arrest ever since.
For a list of current political prisoners published by the International Campaign for Tibet, click here. See also the US Congressional-Executive Commission on China's prisoner database.
Dhondup Wangchen
Dhondup Wangchen has been sentenced to a six year jail term, for filming interviews with ordinary Tibetans about their views on the Olympic Games, the Dalai Lama and Chinese government policies in Tibet. Although China has not yet officially confirmed the sentencing of Dhondup Wangchen, the Tibetan government in exile and Radio Free Asia have reported that sentence was passed on 28 December 2009. Relatives have since reported that Dhondup Wangchen has appealed his sentence.
Tenzin Delek Rinpoche
Tenzin Delek Rinpoche (name in Chinese A'an Zhaxi, born in 1950) is a revered religious leader who worked tirelessly to develop social, medical, educational and religious institutions for Tibetan nomads. As his social empowerment endeavor gained much recognition amongst local Tibetans, he came under close Chinese government scrutiny. He was accused of conspiracy to carry out explosions and sentenced to death, which was commuted to life imprisonment.
Paljor Norbu
Paljor Norbu was arrested on 31 October 2008 under suspicion of printing “prohibited materials” including the Tibetan flag. In a secret trial in November, he was sentenced to seven years in prison. Chinese authorities have not disclosed the details of the trial but based on the length of his prison sentence, Human Rights Watch suggests he was likely convicted of “inciting separatism”. His family has not been allowed to see him.
Runggye Adak
On August 1, 2007 Runggye Adak got up on a stage and asked the Tibetan audience whether they wanted the Dalai Lama to return. The crowd applauded loudly. Moments later he was taken into custody and now is serving an eight year sentence.
When on stage Runggye Adak boldly grabbed the microphone and addressed a crowd of several thousand Tibetans who had gathered for the annual festival. He said: “If we cannot invite the Dalai Lama home, we will not have freedom of religion and happiness in Tibet.”
Norzin Wangmo
Norzin Wangmo was an educated Tibetan woman who worked for Judical Bereau of Trochu County. She was also a writer. The exact details of the charges against her are not known, but she was convicted and sentenced on 3 November 2008 to five years in prison for passing news through the phone and internet about the situation in Tibet to the outside world.
Lobsang Tenzin
Lobsang Tenzin was in his mid twenties on 5 March 1988 when he took part in a protest for Tibetan freedom in Lhasa. At the time he was a student at the Tibet University. He was one of five Tibetans charged in the death of a police officer who fell from a window during the protest. In January 1989 Lobsang Tenzin was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve; in 1993 the sentence was commuted to a 20 year prison term.
Bangri Rinpoche
Bangri Chongtrul Rinpoche is a community leader serving a 19-year prison term for “attempting to split the country and destroy national unity.”
In 1996, he and his wife Nyima Choedron founded Gyatso orphanage in Lhasa, designed to help some of the city’s most deprived children. At its peak, the orphanage was home to 60 children and received some funding from overseas charities. The orphans were given education in Tibetan language, Chinese language, English language and mathematics. Bangri Rinpoche and Nyima Choedron ran the orphanage and were well respected for their service to the community.
Read on...
Sangye Lhamo - RELEASED: July 2010
In May 2008, Sangye Lhamo took part in a peaceful protest with two other nuns from the same nunnery in eastern Tibet. They were all taken into custody and to date their whereabouts are not known.
Further Reading
There are more than 700 political prisoners in Tibet at present. Many of them were detained during the overwhelmingly peaceful protest of 2008, but some have been in prison for much longer. The International Tibet Network has formed a political prisoner campaign working group (PPCWP) to formulate an on-going campaign about Tibet's political prisoners; this campaign is profiling nine of these remarkable and courageous Tibetans, who are listed below. To visit the campaign's own website, please go to www.freetibetanheroes.org.
In addition to these nine prisoners, probably the most famous Tibetan political prisoner is the Panchen Lama, who was abducted with his family in 1995 at the age of six and has been under some form of house arrest ever since.
For a list of current political prisoners published by the International Campaign for Tibet, click here. See also the US Congressional-Executive Commission on China's prisoner database.
Dhondup Wangchen
Dhondup Wangchen has been sentenced to a six year jail term, for filming interviews with ordinary Tibetans about their views on the Olympic Games, the Dalai Lama and Chinese government policies in Tibet. Although China has not yet officially confirmed the sentencing of Dhondup Wangchen, the Tibetan government in exile and Radio Free Asia have reported that sentence was passed on 28 December 2009. Relatives have since reported that Dhondup Wangchen has appealed his sentence.
Tenzin Delek Rinpoche
Tenzin Delek Rinpoche (name in Chinese A'an Zhaxi, born in 1950) is a revered religious leader who worked tirelessly to develop social, medical, educational and religious institutions for Tibetan nomads. As his social empowerment endeavor gained much recognition amongst local Tibetans, he came under close Chinese government scrutiny. He was accused of conspiracy to carry out explosions and sentenced to death, which was commuted to life imprisonment.
Paljor Norbu
Paljor Norbu was arrested on 31 October 2008 under suspicion of printing “prohibited materials” including the Tibetan flag. In a secret trial in November, he was sentenced to seven years in prison. Chinese authorities have not disclosed the details of the trial but based on the length of his prison sentence, Human Rights Watch suggests he was likely convicted of “inciting separatism”. His family has not been allowed to see him.
Runggye Adak
On August 1, 2007 Runggye Adak got up on a stage and asked the Tibetan audience whether they wanted the Dalai Lama to return. The crowd applauded loudly. Moments later he was taken into custody and now is serving an eight year sentence.
When on stage Runggye Adak boldly grabbed the microphone and addressed a crowd of several thousand Tibetans who had gathered for the annual festival. He said: “If we cannot invite the Dalai Lama home, we will not have freedom of religion and happiness in Tibet.”
Norzin Wangmo
Norzin Wangmo was an educated Tibetan woman who worked for Judical Bereau of Trochu County. She was also a writer. The exact details of the charges against her are not known, but she was convicted and sentenced on 3 November 2008 to five years in prison for passing news through the phone and internet about the situation in Tibet to the outside world.
Lobsang Tenzin
Lobsang Tenzin was in his mid twenties on 5 March 1988 when he took part in a protest for Tibetan freedom in Lhasa. At the time he was a student at the Tibet University. He was one of five Tibetans charged in the death of a police officer who fell from a window during the protest. In January 1989 Lobsang Tenzin was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve; in 1993 the sentence was commuted to a 20 year prison term.
Bangri Rinpoche
Bangri Chongtrul Rinpoche is a community leader serving a 19-year prison term for “attempting to split the country and destroy national unity.”
In 1996, he and his wife Nyima Choedron founded Gyatso orphanage in Lhasa, designed to help some of the city’s most deprived children. At its peak, the orphanage was home to 60 children and received some funding from overseas charities. The orphans were given education in Tibetan language, Chinese language, English language and mathematics. Bangri Rinpoche and Nyima Choedron ran the orphanage and were well respected for their service to the community.
Read on...
Sangye Lhamo - RELEASED: July 2010
In May 2008, Sangye Lhamo took part in a peaceful protest with two other nuns from the same nunnery in eastern Tibet. They were all taken into custody and to date their whereabouts are not known.
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by: Spring Digital