Khenpo Kartse freed after completing jail term

By Lobsang Tenchoe

DHARAMSALA, July 16: Khenpo Kartse, a popular Tibetan religious teacher sentenced to two and a half years in prison was released on July 4, after completing his sentence.

Khenpo Kartse, upon completing his sentence, was released from a prison in Chengdu on July 4. But the prominent religious teacher was reportedly barred from returning to his monastery and is virtually under house arrest, confined to a home of his relative in Yushul.

Japa Monastery’s Khenpo (abbot) Karma Tsewang( Kartse) is a highly-educated and respected religious teacher, philanthropist and an environmental activist from Nangchen, Traditional Tibetan Province of Kham in present-day Qinghai Province.

He was arrested by Chinese officials in Chamdo on December 6, 2013 on false charges of hiding a fugitive monk linked to a bombing incident.

His detention caused an extensive distraught, which led to hundreds of Tibetans staging peace protest calling for his  release outside the prison he was confided.