Former political prisoner passes away in Tibet
Thupten Yeshi spent a quarter of his life in prison after his arrest in 1992
Thubten Yeshi, a Tibetan farmer and former political prisoner, passed away on 28 September in Lhasa at the age of 74.
He spent 15 years, a quarter of his life, behind bars for staging a protest with four fellow Tibetan farmers. Speaking with Tibet Watch, a source recalled the day, 13 June 1992, when Thupten and others protested, shouting: “ Tibet is a completely independent Country!”, “The Chinese must leave Tibet!” and “Long live His Holiness the Dalai Lama.”
The protest took place in their hometown of Gyama (Ch:Jiama)Township, where the county government of Medro Gonkar (Ch:Mozhugongka) was carrying out patriotic education campaigns. The area is located in the part of Tibet governed as the Tibet Autonomous Region
All five members of the group were arrested. The same year, Lhasa Municipal Intermediate People’s Court sentenced Thupten to 15 years in the notorious Drapchi prison. He was released on 12 June 2007.
Information supplied by Tibet Watch
