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China sentences two Tibetan monks to three years in prison
by Nirmala Carvalho
Lobsang Gyatso, and Lobsang Khedup belong to the monastery of Kirti, target of Chinese repression. They were arrested in May 2011 and held incommunicado for two months. Neither the charges, nor the reasons for the decision have been disclosed.
Lhasa (AsiaNews) - Two Tibetan monks were sentenced to three years in prison on July 15 last year. The two belong to the monastery of Kirti, a longtime target of Chinese repression. The monks, Lobsang Khedup and Lobsang Gyatso, were arrested May 2011 at the Kirti Monastery in Ngaba County. (27/05/2011 Police seizes another Kirti monk for resisting indoctrination).
Lobsang Khedup (pictured), about 36 years old, was arrested May 4 in the monastery itself. He belongs to the Thoelee Tsang family, and is native from the village of Lower Chookleh Ngaba County. He began his studies at the monastery of Kirti at an early age, after being ordained a monk, and has achieved a high level of knowledge in the study of Buddhism. While continuing his studies and reflection, he has been a guide for younger students.
Lobsang Gyatso, 39, was born in the village of Upper Chookleh, Ngaba County, and is from the Gyakyap family. He was arrested on May 9. Both monks were kept in total isolation for about two months, and authorities have not given any information about them, there were only rumours about them being held in prison in Moawan county.
The reasons for their arrest and conviction are unknown, even if the circumstances that led to their detention are unclear. On 21 April 2011, when the Chinese police arrested a large number of monks from Kirti monastery, the two monks, along with many other brothers, gathered in the monastery, asking the police not to arrest the monks, or to arrest them all. Right now both are a in the Yang-Mein prison, in Sichuan province.