Tibetan Political Prisoner Released Early

By Tenzin Samten / September 8, 2022;

Pema Dhondup was sentenced to 12 years; Kalsang Gyatso 11 years; Pema Tso eight years and Lhamo Dhondup seven years. Also sentenced were Dhukar Kyab, four years, and Yangmo Kyi, three years, both accused of creating public a nuisance and chaos
Photo : RFA

Pema Dhondup, a Tibetan from Amdo Labrang’s Sangchu County, was released from prison on August 31, before completing his prison term reports Radio Free Asia’s Tibetan service. He was charged with murder and sentenced to 12 years by the Chinese authorities for taking ownership of the body of Rinchen Dorjee, a Tibetan farmer who self-immolated on October 23, 2012 near Labrang Monastery in Sangchu County.

Following his release, Dhondup was warmly welcomed home by his family and neighbours. He is now under surveillance. He was scheduled to complete his sentence in 2024 and has been released two years early, confirmed a Tibetan source living in exile and speaking to RFA. The source said that currently no details are known about his health condition, but he appears to be fine. Six other Tibetans sentenced with Pema Dhondup on various prison terms are also being released, and will remain under strict restriction.

On October 23, 2012 Rinchen Dorjee, a Tibetan man, self-immolated in front of a police station in Sangchu county. Following his death six other Tibetans were arrested, accused of deliberately killing Rinchen Dorjee. The following January, Sangchu County Court sentenced the six Tibetans: Pema Dhondup was sentenced to 12 years; Kalsang Gyatso 11 years; Pema Tso eight years and Lhamo Dhondup seven years. Also sentenced were Dhukar Kyab, four years, and Yangmo Kyi, three years, both accused of creating public a nuisance and chaos.

A number of Tibetans have resorted to self-immolation as their only means of protest against the Chinese régime in Tibet. Their families and others close to them are often accused of deliberately killing them and given long prison sentences, many disappear for years. In 2016, Tashi Rabten, a Tibetan man self-immolated in Machu County in Gansu province in Amdo, and some members of his family were charged with “deliberate killing”. In 2014, another Tibetan named Tsering Namgayl self-immolated; three other Tibetans were arrested, accused of involvement in the self-immolation.