Cross posted from: https://beehaw.org/post/17750855

Archived version

Chinese authorities wrongfully detained more than 20 Tibetans and severely tortured a Tibetan village head named Gonpo Namgyal to death with the repeated use of electric equipment in detention for several months in Ponkor township, Darlag County in Golog in the traditional Tibetan province of Amdo now incorporated into Qinghai, Sichuan and Gansu provinces.

As per information received, in May 2024, due to the extensive “Pure Mother Tongue” campaign [...] Chinese authorities arrested over 20 Tibetans including Khenpo Tenpa Dhargye and village head Gonpo Namgyal. They were forcibly taken to Golog Prefecture headquarters.

Gonpo Namgyal tragically passed away on 18 December 2024 after suffering severe torture and inhuman treatment by the Chinese police for over seven months while in detention. As reported by the source, Gonpo Namgyal was released from detention after becoming ill, but within three days of his release he passed away. During the preparation of his body for cremation at the Traling Monastery’s crematory, many of his internal organs were discovered to have been burned as a result of electric torture.

[...]

The Tibetan people inside Tibet’s efforts to preserve their Tibetan identity, especially the Tibetan language, despite huge threats of persecution and imprisonment from the Chinese government, are of paramount importance with the Communist government’s so-called “Chinese national unity consciousness” framework or policy, which basically meant making Chinese the dominant language by degrading Tibetan from all walks of life.

Until the Communist regime is challenged and Tibetans within Tibet are denied basic human rights as guaranteed by the Chinese Constitution and international human rights law, Tibetan identity will have a dwindling future.