(TibetanReview.net, Jan16, 2015) – Chinese police in Lhasa had detained a Tibetan youth for nearly three weeks over photos, including that of Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, in his mobile phone, as well as for his allegedly political online activities, reported Radio Free Asia (Washington) Jan 14. Although released, the youth, named as Topgyal, about 23, is now banned from travelling or making contacts outside his hometown of Tagtse in Dingri County, Shigatse Prefecture.
Topgyal was held on Dec 26, 2014 while working at a construction site in the Tibetan capital. He was not given any reason while being taken into custody. However, on Jan 12, when the Lhasa police handed him over to their counterpart in Dingri, he was accused of having had banned pictures, including that of the Dalai Lama, in his mobile phone. He was also accused of having forwarded to others politically sensitive writings from his mobile phone, as well as having made contacts in Nepal and other places outside Tibet through the social media platform WeChat.
The Dingri police released him the next day with the stipulation that he was under a ban from travelling or making contacts outside his hometown. He as warned that violating these conditions would lead to his arrest.