(TibetanReview.net, Mar13’24) — A Tibetan mother in Kardze (Chinese: Ganzi) prefecture of Sichuan province was reported to have died on Feb 17 due to severe depression stemming from China’s continued refusal to provide any information on her son who remained incommunicado in police custody for over a year.
The son, a monk-writer named Tenzin Khenrab, had been arrested after being found with a photo of the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, in his mobile phone, said freetibet.org Mar 12.
Phudé, 53, was stated to be the 29-year-old monk’s only surviving family member. She was constantly worried over not being able to meet with or otherwise get any information on her son from the Chinese police.
Her death came after her health deteriorated three weeks ago, London-based Free Tibet campaign group said on its website, citing its research partner Tibet Watch.
The report said: “She asked the police of Nyagchu (Yajiang) County (for the) whereabouts of her son and appealed several times to allow her visit him, but the authorities denied her [any information]. Under such circumstance, she was in depression and fell sick, which gradually deteriorated and she passed away in the end.”
Apart from the Dalai Lama photo on his mobile phone, the monk was also stated to have been found with various e-books, for which he was faulted, although it is not clear what they were about.
Belonging to Lower Othog Village in Kardze’s Nyagchu county, and having studied in the local Othog and Lithang monasteries, Tenzin Khenrab is stated to be well-educated in both Tibetan and Chinese languages.
It is not clear whether he has been tried and sentenced.