Dharamshala: - A Tibetan monk has been sentenced to six years in prison over self-immolation protest, more than a year after his arrest in Sangchu (Ch: Xiahe) County in Kanlho (Ch: Gannan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province.
Gedun Gyatso, 47, a monk from Bora Monastery was sentenced to prison on "intentional homicide" charges by the Sangchu County People's Court. The India based 'Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy' (TCHRD) said that "the sentence was passed on 10 December 2013."
"Five monks including Gedun Gyatso from Bora Monastery in December 2013, a day after Sungdue Kyap committed self-immolation protest on 2 December 2012 in Bora," sources added.
"Gedun Gyatso, along with four other monks: Lobsang Phakpa, 34, Jamyang Soepa, 25, Jamyang Lodoe, about 20, and Jamyang Gyatso, about 20, had gone missing for months after they were first Public Security Bureau (PSB) officers from Amchok (Ch: Amuqu) County along with Bora Township government officials," the TCHRD said in the statement.
It added: "Except for Gedun Gyatso, the four other monks were released separately after being held for months. Lobsang Phagpa was released after about four months' detention."
The exiled right group said that "Chinese authorities kept Gedun Gyatso in custody for over a year before his sentencing. Gedun Gyatso had refused to accept the charges imposed on him and even during the trial, he stood adamant that he was not guilty of 'intentional homicide'. "
As source with contacts in the area says, "He [Gedun Gyatso] was falsely accused of "intentional homicide". In fact, the two policemen who were at the site of Sungdue Kyap's self-immolation claimed that Gedun Gyatso tried to stop them from extinguishing the fire. But he has not accepted the charge and the sentence was passed in spite of it."
Gedun Gyatso was born in Lhabun Thangri Gapma village and his mother's name is Sonam Tso.
