Crackdown on monks for freedom leaflets in Sog County
Five Tibetan monks from Sog Tsenden Monastery were arrested by the local Public Security Bureau officers in Sog County, Nagchu Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) after leaflets calling for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet and the restoration of freedom in Tibet were found scattered near the monastery.
Following the appearance of the leaflets in and near Sog Tsenden Monastery on 16 December 2011, the security officials fingerprinted and questioned many monks particularly the younger monks. Sources said that during the questioning, the officials became suspicious of 19-yr-old monk Kelsang Tsultrim who later ‘disappeared’ around 15 January 2012.
Monk Tsultrim, son of father A-Jig, hails from Rongmey Tsashog Township in Sog County. Local Tibetans suspect that he is being secretly detained by the security officers.
On 15 January 2012, the local PSB arrested four monks from the monastery: Choeying Logyal, Choephel Dawa, Choeying Jampa and Choeying Loga. Choeying Jampa and Choeying Loga were arbitrarily detained and questioned for ten days in police custody.
Sources told TCHRD that both Choeying Logyal and Choephel Dawa were sentenced in the beginning of February 2012 and are likely locked up in a prison in Nagchu. Details on the charges and terms of their sentences are not immediately available.
