Dharamshala: - A local Chinese court in Ngaba county of eastern Tibet Tuesday, 30 August jailed two Tibetan monks of Kirti Monastery after accusing them of "intentional homicide" over Phuntsok's death by self-immolation, according to a latest report.
"Ven. Lobsang Tenzin was sentenced to 13 years in prison by a Chinese people's intermediate court in Ngaba, on 30 August 2011," Ven. Kanyak Tsering of India based Kirti Monastery told The Tibet Post International.
"The 22 year old Buddhist monk from Kirti monastery, Ngaba County of eastern Tibet is son of Mr. Sonam and Dolkar. He was charged with plotting and helping in the self-immolation of 22-year old Phuntsok on 16 March 2011," said Tsering.
"Another Buddhist monk, who also called Lobsang Tenzin, a 21 years old Tibetan, son of Mr. Pema and Sodon was sentenced to 10 years on the same day and for the same reason," he added.
"However, the monks denied all allegations made by the Chinese authorities that they say they were trying to save Phuntsok from the Chinese police beating. The authorities also did not allow their family members to engage with other lawyers, except the one that officially provided," Tsering said in the report.
The United States of America voiced concern about China's 11-year sentence to a Tibetan over the monk's self-immolation and urged China to address grievances in the region. "We urge the Chinese government to ensure transparency and to uphold the procedural protections and rights to which Chinese citizens are entitled under China's Constitution and laws and under international standards," US said in a statement.
Phuntsok, a 21-year old Tibetan monk from Kirti Monastery, self-immolated in an act of protest against the Chinese suppression in Tibet. Eye-witnesses reported that Chinese authorities beat Phuntsok as they put out the flames. He died at approximately 3:00am Lhasa Tibet time on March 17th. A protest by an estimated 1,000 monks and lay people was violently suppressed by the armed Chinese military troops.
