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A Tibetan monk detained after opposing a controversial Chinese hydropower project in eastern Tibet remains in critical condition two years after his arrest, with rights advocates alleging he suffered severe torture while in Chinese custody. According to the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT), the case highlights what it describes as a wider pattern of abuse, arbitrary detention and impunity in Tibet.
The monk, Gonpo Tsering, 46, served as one of the administrators of Yena Monastery in Derge County, Sichuan province. The International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) said he was taken into custody in February 2024 after Chinese authorities accused him of playing a leading role in protests against the proposed Kamtok (Gangtuo) hydropower dam. The project drew opposition from local Tibetans and monks who argued that it would submerge historic monasteries, including Yena and Wonto Monasteries, along with several villages and sites regarded as religiously significant. Protesters maintained that the construction threatened both Tibet's cultural heritage and the livelihoods of local communities. According to the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT), Gonpo Tsering was subjected to repeated physical abuse during detention, leaving him with life-threatening injuries. He was later transferred to West China (Huaxi) Hospital in Chengdu, where he has reportedly remained in critical condition for the past two years. Sources cited by the organisation said the monk is bedridden, unable to speak or stand, and relies on feeding tubes for survival. They added that he no longer recognises family members or responds to those around him. His father, Lobsang Dorjee, reportedly died on September 21, 2025, after struggling to cope with his son's detention and deteriorating health. The rights group further alleged that Chinese authorities have refused to provide financial assistance for Gonpo Tsering's treatment while maintaining strict surveillance around his hospital room. Visitors are reportedly monitored, and photography or video recording has been prohibited. The International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) said the case reflects findings from its recent report, Justice Denied: The Patterns of Deaths In and After Custody in Tibet, which argues that torture, denial of medical care and the absence of accountability are systemic features of China's detention system in Tibet. ICT President Tencho Gyatso called on governments to press Beijing to release those arbitrarily detained, investigate allegations of torture, disclose the whereabouts of disappeared Tibetans and allow independent UN experts meaningful access to Tibet. (ANI)
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