Tibetan monk released after over two years imprisonment

DHARAMSALA, 10 Feb: A Tibetan monk from eastern Tibet has been released by the Chinese authorities after serving over two years in prison in the Chinese occupied Tibet.

Choechok, a monk from Dza Wonpo monastery in Kardze in the traditional Tibetan province of Kham was released on 6 Feb earlier this month, a source in exile in the know told the Tibet Express.

While it still remains unclear on what charges the monk was arrested on the first place, Choechok was arrested by the Chinese police from the region on Christmas day in 2017, two days after Konpe, a Tibetan man staged his self-immolation protest against China’s repressive rule in Tibet on 23 Dec.

It was reported that prior to his arrest, the Tibetan monk has posted a picture of Konpe on his WeChat handle.

However, his health condition after his release remains unknown.  

The region is currently under heavy surveillance and patroling.

Since Dec last year, the Communist regime in Tibet has deployed a large number of heavily-armed police in Dza Wonpo and surrounding villages in Zachukha in the traditional Tibetan province of Kham after the region witnessed two separate protests in November last year calling for Tibetan independence.