Secret Trial and Sentencing: Tibetan Monk Sentenced to 18 Months for Sharing Dalai Lama’s Speech
By Yangchen Lhamu
DHARAMSALA, 25 Sept: In clear violation of religious freedom and freedom of expression, Chinese authorities have sentenced a Tibetan monk named Jampa Choephel of Penkar Thang Monastery in Rebkong county, in the traditional Tibetan Province of Amdo, to over 18 months in prison after a “secret” trial in August.
The Chinese authorities arrested Jampa Choephel from Penkar Thang Monastery earlier this year on 10th March, the 65th anniversary of the 1959 Tibetan National Uprising Day, for sharing a speech of the Dalai Lama on a social media platform, reported Radio Free Asia (RFA).
The Chinese government views the Dalai Lama’s influence as a challenge to its control, and consequently, any display of allegiance to him, including owning or distributing his images, is considered a criminal offence. This policy has led to numerous arrests, detentions, and punishments for Tibetans found with any type of content related to the Dalai Lama.
The ban on the Dalai Lama’s images dates back to 1996 as part of China’s efforts to restrict Tibetan nationalism. Possession of the Dalai Lama’s photos and videos and sharing them in Tibet have been banned for decades by Chinese authorities, who deem it an act of separatism.
The ongoing crackdown on separatism has intensified in recent years, with increased surveillance and restrictions on online activities.
Jampa’s case exemplifies the widespread suppression of Tibetan Buddhist clergy and intellectuals, many of whom have been detained in unknown locations for an extended period of time. Typically, arrests stem from the expression of dissent or sharing information about conditions in Chinese-occupied Tibet.
Sources have told RFA the he was held at Gurathang Prison until his ‘secret’ trial in August where he pronounced the sentence. Chinese authorities reportedly kept the proceedings secret from Choephel’s family, calling it “politically sensitive.”
Following his sentencing, Jampa spent another month in detention, with the total six-month period in custody being incorporated into his prison term. The family of the imprisoned monk is reportedly facing intense scrutiny from Chinese authorities, resulting in a culture of fear and anxiety, thereby deterring them from seeking information about Jampa’s status.
On 22 Sept., Jampa was transferred to a prison in Siling (Chinese: Xining) in Amdo to serve the remaining period of his sentence. This development is the latest in a long series of struggles for Jampa, who has faced constant surveillance and repression from Chinese authorities since his return to Tibet in 1996.
Originally from Rebkong Medpa, Jampa fled to India in 1986, seeking refuge and spiritual enlightenment. He spent a decade studying at the Buddhist Dialectic school in Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh and graduated in 1996.
Upon his return to Tibet, Jampa joined Penkar Thang Monastery in Rebgong, dedicating himself to meditation. “A master of Tibetan calligraphy,” he also “taught writing and English”. However, he reportedly remained under “constant surveillance”, particularly during significant occasions, the report concluded
