20. Sep 2006
Another Tibetan monk arrested in Kardze
Radio Free Asia (RFA) report that authorities in the Tibetan region of Kardze (Chin: Ganzi) in Sichuan province have detained a 22-year-old monk as part of a broader crackdown on anti-Chinese sentiment. Lobsang Palden, a monk at Kardze monastery, was detained on 15 August. "When police raided his room in the monastery, they found several incriminating documents including photos of the Dalai Lama", a source said. "Relatives learned that he was severely beaten in detention when he refused to implicate others". Kardze police officials contacted by phone refused to confirm the arrest to RFA. Lobsang Palden was served with a formal written notice of arrest on 06 September and was charged with initiating separatist activities. "Normally, Chinese authorities file written charges after two months of arrest, but Lobsang Palden was charged in less than a month", according to the sources. The arrest in Kardze is the eighth this year in the region for such offences, suggesting that levels of repression are increasing. The reasons for this are unclear.