Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, July 11: Amnesty International has launched an urgent campaign calling on Chinese authorities to immediately disclose the whereabouts of detained Tibetan religious leader Choktrul Dorje Ten Rinpoche and release him, warning that his case reflects the escalating repression of Tibetan language, culture, and religion under China’s expanding assimilation policies. The latest campaign follows an urgent appeal issued by the organization in April, in which it called on Chinese authorities to clarify Choktrul Dorje Ten Rinpoche’s fate and whereabouts, disclose the legal basis for his detention, and ensure he has access to legal counsel and contact with his family.
The organization stated the detention comes at a time when China has further strengthened legal measures targeting Tibetan identity. On 1 July 2026, China enacted its new Ethnic Unity and Progress Law, providing legal backing to policies that have long restricted Tibetans’ rights to learn their language, practise their religion, and preserve their cultural heritage. Amnesty International argues that the legislation institutionalizes decades of forced assimilation policies in Tibet.
Choktrul Dorje Ten Rinpoche, a respected Tibetan Buddhist teacher and educator, founded a monastery and a vocational school in Golog in eastern Tibet, now administered as part of Qinghai Province, China. The institution reportedly grew into one of the region’s largest vocational schools, and Rinpoche has earned widespread respect for promoting Tibetan language, education, and culture.
According to reports, Chinese authorities detained Choktrul Dorje Ten Rinpoche on or around 4 December 2025. Since then, his whereabouts have remained unknown.
The organization stated Chinese authorities have not revealed where he is being held, the legal basis for his detention, or whether he has access to legal counsel of his own choosing or contact with his family. Reports also indicate that local authorities have warned residents against discussing his case publicly.
Amnesty International noted that the only information to emerge since his detention has been unofficial reports that he is “under investigation.” The organization says that in China, this term is frequently used to describe the criminal investigation phase, during which detainees may be held for extended periods without meaningful access to lawyers or family members, increasing the risk of torture and other forms of ill-treatment.
Commenting on the significance of the new legislation, Kyinzom Dhongdue, Tibetan Advocate and Strategy & Advocacy Manager at Amnesty International Australia, said, ”What’s changed with the new law is that these practices are no longer driven only by policy or political campaigns. It embeds them in national law, giving the Chinese government even greater powers to suppress Tibetan identity.”
Amnesty International stated Choktrul Dorje Ten Rinpoche’s detention reflects a broader pattern of repression against Tibetan religious figures, educators, and language advocates. The organization has previously documented cases involving Tibetan figures, including Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, Rinchen Tsultrim, and Tashi Wangchuk. According to Amnesty, Chinese authorities have increasingly restricted Tibetan-language education, tightened state control over religious practice and expanded ideological education centred on Mandarin Chinese and political loyalty.
The human rights organization maintained that peaceful efforts to preserve the Tibetan language, culture, and identity are being subjected to growing scrutiny and repression.
As part of its global campaign, Amnesty International is urging supporters to write to Chinese authorities demanding that they immediately disclose Choktrul Dorje Ten Rinpoche’s whereabouts, ensure he has access to legal representation and family members, and release him if he has been detained solely for peacefully exercising his human rights.
