Zilkar Monastery monk detained

A monk from Nyatso Zilkar Monastery has been detained in Zatoe (Chinese: Zaduo) town, Tridu (Chinese: Chenduo) County in Jyekundo (Chinese: Yushu), Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province.

According to information received by TCHRD, monk Tenzin Sherab, 28, was arrested at Zatoe town by local security officers around 9 am (Tibet Time), on 1 October 2012, for unknown reasons.

A source with contacts in the area informed TCHRD that the family members of Sherab had approached the local Public Security Bureau office to inquire about the monk’s whereabouts, but had failed to get any information.

The same source quoted a local Tibetan in the area as saying that Sherab may have been arrested for his suspected participation in the 8 February 2012 protest that occurred in the area. Monks from Zilkar Monastery and local Tibetans took part in the protest which ended in the sentencing of three known Zilkar monks. Both Lobsang Nyima and Lobsang Samten were sentenced to one year and nine months in prison. Sonam Gewa was sentenced to two years. An Intermediate People’s Court at Siling (Chinese: Xining) city passed the sentences at a secret trial without the presence of the monks’ family members.
Tenzin Sherab, son of Mr Jamchoe and Mrs Pema Dekyi, is from Dharmar nomadic village and has seven siblings. According to the source, local Tibetans know him as a hardworking student with as strong sense of Tibetan identity.

Zilkar Monastery is becoming a frequent target for official crackdowns. On 1 September 2012, armed police forces arbitrarily carried out a raid at the monastery, beating dozens of monks, and detaining five whose whereabouts remain unknown. For more on this, please visit here