Tenzin NyidonÂ
DHARAMSHALA, Jan. 31: Tibetan writer and education advocate Palgon, who was arrested in August 2022 for allegedly contacting people outside Tibet and making offerings to Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama, has been released but remains under strict surveillance, sources inside Tibet told Radio Free Asia.
The 32-year-old writer from Pema County in Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Amdo (Ch. Qinghai) Province, was detained by Chinese authorities in August 2022 and remained missing for over two years. According to sources, he was released in November 2024, but details about his imprisonment or current health condition remain unknown.
Despite his release, Palgon is closely monitored by authorities, with restrictions on his movements and a complete ban on contact with individuals both inside and outside Tibet.
Palgon previously studied at Ragya Sherig Norbu School, a private Tibetan vocational school that was shut down by Chinese authorities in July 2024. From 2021, he worked as a teacher at an elementary school in Pema County, Golog, before resigning to focus on reading and writing. He was known for sharing literary works on social media platforms like WeChat, but access to his writings has since been blocked.
His arrest and restrictions are part of China’s broader crackdown on Tibetan intellectuals and cultural expression. Human Rights Watch, in its World Report 2025, highlighted the arbitrary arrests of Tibetans and severe restrictions on freedom of expression, including internet censorship and site blocking, reflecting Beijing’s tightening control over Tibetan voices.
