By Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Oct 22: A former Tibetan political prisoner Wangchen has reportedly sustained injuries to his stomach following an altercation with Chinese authorities in Lhasa, according to Tibet Times, a Tibetan-language news outlet based in Dharamshala. He was reportedly accused of not having the required travel documentation and permissions from higher authorities while travelling from one region to another.
Following the initial altercation with Chinese authorities regarding his travel documentation, Wangchen was taken into custody and questioned. It was during the interrogation that he was secretly beaten. After being subjected to the violent incident, Wangchen’s condition deteriorated significantly and was urgently rushed to a hospital in Lhasa, where doctors diagnosed him with multiple injuries to his stomach.
According to the report, Wangchen, a resident of Sershul (Ch. Shiqu) County in the Kardze (Ch. Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture was accused by Chinese authorities of lacking the necessary documentation and permissions during a pilgrimage trip with his family in Lhasa. The allegations against Wangchen appeared to be linked to his social media posts depicting their journey and religious activities.
Sources in Tibet told Tibet Times that Chinese authorities had confiscated Wangchen’s official documents earlier. Despite the absence of vital documents, Wangchen, accompanied by his family, embarked on a pilgrimage during the month of May. During the journey, he was detained and subjected to physical abuse by Chinese authorities. Upon his return to his hometown, Wangchen experienced severe stomach pain while at the airport. During this critical moment, the airport medical team allegedly refused him access to proper medical care, citing the absence of a medical report from doctors.
Earlier in 2019, Chinese authorities arrested Wangchen alongside his two friends, Lobsang and Yonten, for raising prayer flags on the hillside of Sershul Monastery and shouting slogans demanding the release of the Panchen Lama, a revered Buddhist figure and reunification of the Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama in Tibet. Wangchen’s imprisonment lasted for four years, ending with his release in April this year. His friends, Lobsang and Yonten, served six months of imprisonment.
Following Wangchen’s imprisonment, his aunt Dolkar was detained by Chinese authorities in May 2019 for sharing the information of her nephew’s arrest. Dolkar’s detention continued until August 15, 2020, during which she was subjected to harsh physical labour in a Chinese prison, impacting her health and well-being.
Despite completing their sentences, sources say, former political prisoner’s moves are strictly monitored with limited freedom of movement. They are subjected to a life of abandonment by the Chinese government with difficulty in movement within Tibet, and denial of basic subsidies and facilities.
