Dharamshala — A Tibetan monk has been sentenced to three years of imprisonment for staging a lone protest against the Chinese government last year.
Jampal Gyatso, 21, was sentenced recently by People's Intermediate Court in the Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture in the north-west of Sichuan Province, a Tibetan living in exile told the Tibet Post International (TPI).
"Family members and relatives were not allowed to attend the trial and denied to hire legal representation for him. There is no information about his current health conditions," TPI source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
"Ven Jampal Gyatso who was arrested by Chinese police on September 9, 2015 after being held in detention for nearly a year," the source said, adding that "His current conditions remain unknown."
TPI had previously reported the Chinese police arrest of Ven Gyatso, a 21-year old Tibetan monk, who took to the main street of Ngaba town, carrying a portrait of His Holiness the Dalai Lama," and shouted slogans calling for "freedom for Tibetans."
In a brief video footage received by the TPI from inside Tibet, Gyatso is seen walking along the streets of Ngaba County town, holding aloft a huge portrait of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, hurled prayer flags into the air and raising slogans for "freedom in Tibet".
Gyatso, a native of village no. 3 of Meruma town, Ngaba County in Amdho Region of north-eastern Tibet Tibet.
Kirti Monastery has been the scene of repeated self-immolations and other protests by monks, former monks, and nuns opposed to Chinese rule.
The Ngaba area has been under military lock-down since major protests were held in the area following the spread of protests across the Tibetan plateau beginning in March, 2008.
The Chinese authorities are clamping down on the contents of popular social media, and particularly on the posting of photos, videos, and text that could be considered to be anti-China.
