Six arrests, one sentence reported from Ngaba County, Eastern Tibet

Dharamshala: Sources from inside Tibet report the sentencing of one and arrest of six Tibetans from Ngaba County. They are believed to have been involved in March 2008's protests over the unlawful detention and killing of Tibetans.

At the end of this past August, Lobsang Tsultrim, a 23 year old monk from Kirti monastery included on the Chinese authority's most-wanted list, was given a sentence of three years by the Chinese Intermediate Court of Ngaba County for leading a mass peaceful demonstration there last March. Following his initial arrest and detainment of several months, police were unable to locate Tsultrim until around January 2009, when he surrendered himself to authorities in order to receive a lesser sentence. Lobsang Jambo, a 30 year old monk from Kirti monastery as well, was recently arrested for similar involvement in the protests.

Lobsang Tsondue, 28 year old monk, also surrendered to avoid harsher punishment. After being detained for one month then released, Tsondue was re-arrested in May of this year. He is currently being detained without trial. His whereabouts are unknown, and it remains unconfirmed as to whether he is still alive. Similar details about Samten Khache, 35, are also unknown. Originally arrested on March 28, 2008 and detained for a few months, Khache was re-arrested earlier this month.

On the 17th of this month, four Tibetans were sighted being transferred in high-security police vehicles to Ngaba County detention facilities. All are being charged for involvement in last March's protests. Tsulde, a lay Tibetan in his mid-20s, was originally arrested during a protest in Siling where he was injured assisting his friend Lobsang Tashi, who was subsequently killed. Tsanda, a lay Tibetan in his mid-20s, and Lobsang Konchok and Dhonko, both monks, were being transferred with Tsulde to an unknown location.