May 04, 2011

Tibet: Monks Sentenced for Wanting to Preserve Monastery


Two Tibetan monks form Jomda County, Chamdo Prefecture in China, were sentenced for protesting against Chinese ‘developmental work’ that threatens the survival of their monastery

Below is an article published by The Tibet Express: 

Two Tibetan monks from Jophu Monastery in Jomda County, Chamdo Prefecture, “Tibet Autonomous Region” (TAR) were sentenced to varying prison terms in March [2011], according to a rights group based here.  

“Trulku Jangchub and monk Pesang from Jophu Monastery in Jomda County, Chamdo Prefecture, "Tibet Autonomous Region" ("TAR") have been sentenced to three years and two and half years prison terms respectively in March 2011,” Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy said in a press statement on Monday. 

The monks were arrested in December 2009 for their alleged role in connection with a protest over a developmental work planned by Chinese authorities at a site belonging to the monastery where the monks live. The monks and Tibetans civilians reportedly went against the planned illegal work insisting that the land must “remain in possession” of the monastery. 

“Towards the end of year 2009, the local Chinese authorities decided to take the compound under Jophu monastery within their control for development reasons. This sparked the monks and the local people to protest saying that this place belonged to the monastery and it should remain with it. After that the local authorities arrested 25-year-old Trulku Jangchub in December 2009 for leading the protest and in January 2011 arrested monk Pesang from the monastery and held in detention in Jomda County. 

In March 2011, Trulku Jangchub was sentenced to three years and monk Pesang was sentenced to two and half years prison term respectively by the local court, the group said. 

Sources told the rights group that Pesang is detained in Chamdo, but he will be soon transferred to Powo Tramo Prison. 

Trulku Jangchub was reportedly tortured while in the prison due to which he is currently hospitalized, according to TCHRD.