A Tibetan writer Gangkye Drubpa Kyab, a political prisoner at the Sichuan’s Minyak Rangakha prison was freed by the Chinese authorities on September 16. The writer was sentenced to prison term of five and half year. Surprisingly, the authorities released the writer after serving four years, one and half years earlier than the sentence, urging the writer to ‘change his thoughts’ according to RFA. However the Tibetan political prisoner was detained back a day following the release.
“On his release, his relatives and friends welcomed him with a grand reception in traditional Tibetan dress and including the presentation of ceremonial offering scarves to a portrait of [exiled spiritual leader] the Dalai Lama,” RFA quoted a resident of the area.
This has been the incident leading to the detainment of the just released Tibetan Political prisoner. The authorities summoned the writer to the local police station at Serthar (in Chinese, Seda) county in Kardze prefecture and he was detained at the police station. The authorities has warned of putting him back to the prison if he did not change his mind according to the report.
Drubpa Kyab’s writings about the 2008 protest movement in Tibetan areas were published in exile in 2013 as A Year Written in Blood.
Another Tibetan Also Detained For Participating In The Reception
Dowa Samdrub, friend of the Tibetan writer, Kyab was detained by the police for participating in the reception of the writer on September 18. The reception of the Tibetan writer prisoner involved offering Tibetan ceremonial scarves to the portrait of the Dalai Lama. The released Tibetan political prisoners; Samdrub and Kyab took pictures holding the portrait of the Dalai Lama upon their head in respect.
Samdrub had previously been convicted of posting flyers in Serthar calling for Tibetan freedom, and had been freed only since Aug. 13 according to the report.
The two Tibetans who are presently in custody may be held by the authorities for at least 15 days according the local sources of the report. However, the situation of Tibetans inside Tibetan is very restricted and they live under constant pressure. The courage of Tibetan activists inside Tibet are beyond the comprehension of people in the free countries because they are subjected under a regime not accountable to even the basic human rights.
China invaded Tibet in 1959 initially by claiming that they were liberating Tibet from serfdom but later incorporated the Tibetan territory as inseparable part of China. His Holiness the Dalai Lama who is one of the most revered leaders in the world today and a noble laureate is regarded as a separatist by China. Pictures of His Holiness is banned in Tibet and possession of the same leads to imprisonment.
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