Druklo – popularly known by his pen name Shokjang – a prominent Tibetan writer and blogger was released from Chinese prison on March 19 after completing a three-year prison sentence for a wrongful conviction.
According to Radio Free Asia (RFA), Shokjang was required to go through a lengthy checkout procedure via numerous police stations before being allowed home to Gengya village in Gansu province’s Sangchu County. He was only allowed to return home after dark, however, he was given a warm welcome by many fellow Tibetans from different areas who gathered to greet him, said RFA’s source. There is no news about whether his health has suffered during his time in prison, and he remains under extreme scrutiny with a further two years “deprivation of political rights”.
“He is still being closely watched by the Chinese, though, and we don’t know many details about his current condition,” said Golog Jigme, a former Tibetan political prisoner now living in Switzerland. He added that though Shokhang is said to be well, there are concerns for his health, given the hard labour prisoners are required to perform while in prison.
While still a student, studying Tibetan literature at the Northwest Nationalities University in Lanzhou, Shokjang organised a student protest calling for greater freedom to coincide with the 2008 mass protest across happening across Tibet at the time and following this was detained for a month.
He was arrested again on March 19, 2015 for his involvement in 2008 Tibetan uprising and for publishing a literary magazine that criticised China’s policies. He was sentenced to three years by the People Intermediate Court in Rebgong on Feburary 17, 2016 for “inciting separatism”. Shokjang protested against his sentence from his prison cell, in a 17-page letter, that his writings are protected by China’s constitution which allows freedom of expression through writings.
Reporters Sans Frontieres (Reporters Without Borders) reported that Chinese Communist Party jailed 23 journalists and 83 bloggers in 2015, including Shokjang.
The Free Shokjang campaign gathered momentum in the build up to his release, including a countdown campaign on social media.
Shokjang’s case was widely publicised and his cause was taken up by international human rights organisations, exile Tibetan communities and Tibetan supporters across the world who repeatedly petitioned China for his release. His case highlights the situation in Tibet where a prison sentence can be a consequence of the expression of views in writing.
“Shokjang was wrongfully imprisoned on politically motivated charges and it is utterly deplorable that he was forced to spend the past three years of his life behind bars. His imprisonment is yet another appalling example of the ruthless and repressive tactics used by China in a bid to crush dissent, especially when it comes to those speaking out about China’s policies in Tibet” said Gloria Montgomery, Head of Advocacy and Campaigns at the Tibet Society in London.
Shokjang is a highly regarded Tibetan poet, lyricist, short story writer, and essayist. He is the author of four books: The Courageous Path, The Might of the Pen, For Liberty, I Have No Regrets and Rangdrol’s Courage.
Please follow the links below for our previous articles giving Shokhang’s story:
International Recognition for Shokjang
Popular Tibetan Writer Shokjang Appeals from his Cell
Imprisoned Tibetan Writer Shokjang Serves Term in Men Yuan County Prison
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