Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Oct. 20: Lobsang Tenpa, also known as Tenpa Gyatso, a former abbot of Ragya Monastery in Amdo, has reportedly been sentenced to five years in prison following his re-arrest by Chinese security personnel and transferred to a prison in Xining, Qinghai Province, according to Tibet Times, a Dharamshala-based Tibetan media outlet. The charges against him have not been disclosed.
According to the report, security personnel from the Public Security Bureau in Machen County, Golog Prefecture, posted a notice in Chinese on the door of his monastic quarters on 5 August, during the monastery’s summer retreat, prohibiting entry. His whereabouts and the circumstances surrounding his detention were initially unclear.
Information that emerged later indicated that police had searched his quarters and discovered portraits of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and several photographs of Kyabje Shingza Rinpoche, the monastery’s head lama, in his shrine room. They also reportedly confiscated a USB flash drive containing teachings and videos of the Dalai Lama.
He was initially detained in Golog. Around 5 October, he was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment and transferred to a major prison in Xining, reportedly known locally as the “Brick Factory.” It remains unclear whether he had legal representation during the proceedings, whether his family was notified of his detention, or what specific charges were brought against him.
He had previously been detained in May 2025 after encouraging local residents to mark the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday by reciting long-life prayers and memorising His Holiness’s name mantra. He reportedly awarded certificates of recognition, inscribed with passages from the Dalai Lama’s teachings, to those who accumulated the highest number of recitations. Following these activities, police in Machen County detained and interrogated him for several days before holding him for several months. He was subsequently released.
Lobsang Tenpa was the 54th abbot of Ragya Monastery. Born in 1965 in the Hashi Hade community, one of the four Tsangki tribal communities, he was the son of Kalsang Dargye and Phagtsa. He began his formal education at the age of eight and completed primary school.
In 1983, during a period of renewed Buddhist religious activity, he received monastic ordination from Zopa Gyatso, an eminent Buddhist master and former abbot, and entered Ragya Monastery to pursue religious studies.
He assumed the abbacy in 2000, at the age of 35, and completed his tenure in 2005. The monastic history describes him as diligent in his studies, deeply committed to his Tibetan identity, and unwavering in his devotion to the Dalai Lama.
It remains unknown whether Chinese security personnel formally notified his family of his detention or whether he secured legal representation of his choosing during the judicial proceedings. The situation in the area remains highly restrictive, with residents reportedly reluctant to discuss his case for fear of the consequences.
