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Tenzin Dhargay

Two Tibetan monks, Tenzin Dhargay and Rigtse, were sentenced to over three years by the Sershul County’s People’s Court in June this year after being detained incommunicado for almost a year, said a press statement issued by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy. Tenzin Dhargay was sentenced to three years and six months while Rigtse was given a jail term of three years. The two monks are from Bharong Village in Sershul County in KardzeTibetan Autonomous Prefecture in the traditional Dzachuka area in Kham province. Dhargay is a monk from the Dza Sershul Monastery.

Radio Free Asia had reported earlier on Tenzin Dhargay’s arrest in September 2020 for keeping His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s photos and other politically sensitive materials on his phone, and the report mentioned the arrest of another monk which took place at the same time, and whose identity could not be confirmed. It has only now been learned that the other monk was Rigtse. The families of the monks have been unable to obtain any details of their whereabouts throughout this time. Locals were warned that anyone caught sharing information about their detention will lose social security and other government benefits. It is still unknown where the monks are imprisoned. TCHRD has confirmed that the monks were taken to another place after the sentencing in Sershul County.

There are not many details about Rigtse. TCHRD has learned that Dhargay has a social media account on WeChat under the name Dalai’s Followers where he used to share photos and teachings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. During the Chinese government’s 70th anniversary celebration of Tibet’s “peaceful liberation”, Dhargay expressed his opposition to the celebration by saying no such “liberation” happened in Tibet.

TCHRD’s statement calls on the Chinese authorities to release Tenzin Dhargay and Rigtse immediately and unconditionally, saying “the right to freedom of opinion is absolute and cannot be restricted under any circumstances. Article 35 of the Chinese Constitution provides that “citizens of the People’s Republic of China enjoy freedom of speech, of the press, of assembly, of association, of procession and of demonstration”.