Photo via The Tibet Post International
Three young monks at Kirti monastery, accused of involvement in the late monk Phuntsok’s self-immolation death back in March, have been sentenced to prison by a local Chinese court in eastern Tibet. The monks say they were trying to save Phuntsok from an alleged beating at the hands of police; eyewitnesses reported that authorities were beating Phuntsok while putting out his flames. Phuntsok died on March 17.
Two of the monks, Ven. Tsekho (30) and Ven. Lobsang Dhargye (22), were sentenced to 2 1/2 years by an intermediate court in Bakham of Ngaba earlier this month, on September 5. A 16-year-old monk was also sentenced to three years in prison. All three, according to Ven. Kanyak Tsering of Kirti Monastery in India, “denied all allegations made by the Chinese authorities.” Tsering went on in his report, stating, “The authorities also did not allow their family members to engage with other lawyers, except the one [that was] officially provided.” The full story can be read here, via the Tibet Post International.
