Tibetan Monk's Release Highlights Ongoing Tensions with China

A Tibetan monk, Rachung Gendun, has been released from prison after three and a half years for supporting the Dalai Lama. Despite freedom, Gendun's health is poor, drawing attention to the risks Tibetans face when maintaining spiritual connections amid stringent Chinese control over religious practices.

A Tibetan Buddhist monk, Rachung Gendun, who had been incarcerated for sending funds to spiritual leaders, including the Dalai Lama, has been released. However, there are growing concerns about his well-being following his three-and-a-half-year imprisonment, sources within Tibet report.

Gendun was arrested in April 2021 for making donations to the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, acts deemed illegal by Chinese authorities. Despite the threat of consequences, many Tibetans continue these acts of faith, underscoring the ongoing defiance against strict Chinese controls. Currently, Gendun is receiving medical treatment at Hashi Hospital in Chengdu, Sichuan province, according to Radio Free Asia.

His imprisonment was marked by personal tragedy, including the death of his mother, who was subjected to government harassment. She died in June 2024, unable to see her son. The incident echoes broader issues of persecution and suppression experienced by Tibetans, especially those linked to the Dalai Lama or spiritual institutions abroad, a situation exacerbated by Beijing's anti-Dalai Lama campaigns.

(With inputs from agencies.)