(TibetanReview.net, Mar30’20) – A Tibetan septuagenarian and his son living in Chinese ruled Tibet Autonomous Region’s Chamdo (Chinese: Changdu) City had been held by police late last year for having listened to the Dalai Lama’s religious teachings on their mobile phone and also for having spoken with two family members living in exile, said the Tibetan Service of rfa.org Mar 30, citing belated information received by an exile Tibetan with local contacts. They were later let off with a warning, the report added.
The report said Jampa Dorje, 75, and his unnamed son had been taken away by Chinese police on or around Dec 30 in the city’s Dzogang (Zuogong) County.
The report cited Geshe Jampa, a Tibetan monk living in south India, as saying the two were held for listening to the Dalai Lama on their mobile phone and for having spoken with Dorje’s two daughters living in exile.
Jampa has said the father and son, who belong to the Borchung Tsang family, were taken away from their home in Chinwa Village of Tongpar Township, purportedly for questioning.
Upon learning of their detention, the two daughters were reported to have broken down but refused to make any comment for fear of further reprisals from the Chinese government.
The report cited a second source as saying the two were eventually freed after showing “a good attitude” while in custody.
The report cited the anonymous second source as saying the Chinese police told the duo that but for their good behaviour, they would have been jailed for up to five years. They were told never to repeat “the offense of receiving” Dorje’s daughters’ “phone calls or listening to the Dalai Lama’s teachings,” with their personal details being noted down.
