Former Tibetan political prisoner sentenced to 18 years

The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) expresses deep concerns over the condition and whereabouts of a former political prisoner and his wife who had been secretly sentenced to 18 years and two years respectively in Sog (Ch: Suo) County, Nagchu (Ch: Naqu) Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region, the Tibetan province of Kham.

Information received by TCHRD indicates that Lodoe Gyatso, 57, and his wife Gakyi had been sentenced in secret sometime in 2018 after Gyatso was arbitrarily detained in front of the Potala Palace in Lhasa for staging a peaceful solo protest against Chinese government.

As reported earlier by TCHRD, prior to the protest on 28 January 2018, Gyatso had recorded a video announcing his ‘campaign for world peace’ and the solo protest that was filmed by Gakyi. The video made its way to the outside world through social media platforms and was circulated widely by exile Tibetans.

The information about the couple’s secret sentencing became available to sources inside Tibet sometime in November 2018 although the exact date and charges remain unknown. Family members and relatives have no information about their current place of detention or their condition.

Based on available information, it can be confirmed that Gyatso has been held in secret, incommunicado detention since January 2018. The exact date for Gakyi’s detention cannot be immediately confirmed although she too was detained incommunicado and subsequently imprisoned for two years.

More details visit: TCHRD Official Website
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