Tibetan Singer Detained for Dalai Lama Song Released After Six Months in Detention
Tibetan artist, Tsukte (popularly known as Asang), was released on 25 January 2026 after spending nearly 6 months in detention in Ngaba (Ch: Aba) County, Sichuan Province. His release was reportedly accompanied by strict conditions that continue to curtail his fundamental freedoms including his right to freedom of expression, freedom of movement and association as guaranteed under international human rights law. No detail is available on the status of Pelkyong, who was detained along with Asang.
A day after his release, Asang posted a video on his new Kuaishou account expressing gratitude to his fans for their support, and announcing the upcoming release of his second album, titled རྨི་ལམ་གྱི་ཁ་སྟབས (power of dreams). He stated that he is unable to speak about his past detention and the circumstances surrounding it. He also apologized to his parents for the difficulties they endured and thanked his wife, Lhamo, for the hardships she faced during his absence. Asang’s old Kuaishou account was disabled since his arrest in July 2025 by Chinese authorities.
According to information received by TCHRD, Asang and his family continue to be under heavy surveillance by the Chinese authorities. He is reportedly strictly forbidden from speaking about his detention or posting related information on social media platforms.
Asang along with fellow Tibetan artist Pelkyong was detained on 8 July 2025 from Adue Village in Ngaba (Ch: Aba) County, Sichuan Province. The arrests came shortly after the duo publicly released a cover of the song “Prince of Peace” on the Chinese video-sharing platform Kuaishou. The song, Prince of Peace, originally performed in 2006 by Tibetan singer Sherten with lyrics by Arig Chöten Thar, is known for its reverential content about the Dalai Lama’s life and legacy. The cover version by Asang gained traction from the public before being deleted from the platform.
Asang, father of two, is a young and widely admired Tibetan singer from the Naktsang family of Camp No. 4 in Kashul Village, Barma Township in Ngaba County. He is known for songs that promote Tibetan language, culture, and religion. He is a student of Gebey, a well-known Tibetan dhunglen artist previously subjected to repeated detentions for his music.
TCHRD calls on the Chinese government to lift all restrictions imposed on Asang and his family. Although released from prison, he continues to remain under strict surveillance, limiting his rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. TCHRD further urges the Chinese authorities to immediately reveal the whereabouts of Pelkyong, end his incommunicado detention, and ensure his safety in line with international human rights standards.
Chinese authorities have made any expression of reverence towards His Holiness the14th Dalai Lama illegal in Tibet. In 2015, nine Tibetans from Ngaba County were sentenced to prison terms ranging from six to fourteen years for celebrating the Dalai Lama’s 80th birthday. Among them, monk Dukdra received 14 years for organizing a public picnic, while another monk, Lobsang Khedup, was sentenced for 13 years in prison for creating a WeChat group to offer prayers for the Dalai Lama’s birthday. Six of the nine sentenced were former political prisoners who had already served time.
