Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], March 22 : A Tibetan Buddhist monk, Palden Yeshi, who vanished in May 2021 after being taken into custody by Chinese authorities, has resurfaced years later as a convicted prisoner serving a six-year sentence in Lhasa's Chushul Prison, raising fresh concerns over China's treatment of Tibetan cultural figures, as reported by the Central Tibet Administration.
In a post shared on X, CTA stated that Yeshi was reportedly detained on May 17, 2021 and remained missing for nearly five years, with no official information provided about his condition or whereabouts during that period. Even now, Chinese authorities have not publicly disclosed the exact charges against him. However, sources suggest he may have been targeted for organising voluntary Tibetan language classes for more than 300 local children, an initiative authorities could have construed as a threat to state security under broadly defined laws against "separatism."
Throughout his disappearance, Yeshi's family allegedly faced continuous harassment and pressure from security agencies. They were warned against pursuing information about his case. His brother was detained for over a week, during which he was reportedly interrogated and physically assaulted. Meanwhile, Yeshi's elderly father, Sonam Tsewang, suffered prolonged emotional distress due to the uncertainty surrounding his son's fate and passed away on September 29, 2022, without ever learning what had happened.
Yeshi's case is a part of a wider pattern of repression in Tibet's Karze Prefecture. In recent years, authorities have intensified efforts to curb Tibetan identity and language. A directive issued in 2024 reportedly ordered all primary and middle schools in the region to discontinue Tibetan language instruction, further fueling concerns of cultural erasure, as highlighted by CTA.
Such actions, combined with opaque legal proceedings and a lack of due process, point to a systematic attempt to silence cultural expression and dissent. The absence of transparency in Yeshi's detention and trial has drawn particular scrutiny, with activists calling for greater accountability and access to information, as reported by CTA.
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