Photo: Tibet Times
Norzin Wangmo, a Tibetan political prisoner from Kham Kyegudo in Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, was sent home from prison in poor health in March. She was beaten and tortured while in prison and has suffered serious injuries all over her body. She is allowed to receive treatment at home, but not to visit hospitals and continues to be under surveillance, reports the Tibet Times.
Wangmo was sentenced to a three year prison term by the Chinese authorities in May 2020 and sent to a women’s prison in Kyegudo where she was beaten and tortured to such an extent that the authorities have sent her home temporarily. The Tibet Times reports that on May 2 she was transferred from a women’s prison in Kyegudo to Chumarleb County (also written as Qumarleb County) police station, where her family was summoned to come and pick her up, accompanied by three police officers.
Photo: Tibet Times
Her whole body was bruised and covered with injuries sustained during continuous beatings with an electric baton to which she was subjected during her time in jail. She is currently unable to walk without support, according to Tibet Tibet’s report.
The Chumarleb People’s Court sentenced Norzin Wangmo to three years in prison in a secret trial which took place in May 2020, she was charged with disclosing news of the self-immolation of Tenzin Sherab which took place on May 27, 2013 in Chumarleb county.
In recent years, many Tibetans have suffered in the hands of the authorities for not accepting their forced accusation of “leaking state secret” and “influencing the separatists” and have received beating and torture while in prison. There are repeated cases of the death of Tibetan political prisoners in prison, or of their being sent home before the end of their prison term because of their deteriorating health resulting from their treatment in detention. There are also cases of released prisoners dying at home shortly after their early release from prison. People are often sentenced with “separatism” – a term which the Chinese government uses to refer to any sort of dissent, and for contact with Tibetans living in exile.
Norzin Wangmo is a former resident of Trindhu (also written as Chindu) County who married and settled in Chumarleb county in Yushu, living a nomadic life. Her husband’s name is Nyima and they have three children aged between two and five years old.
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