Sonam Gyatso was a 34-year-old monk from Rabgya Monastery and a former Tibetan exile who returned to Tibet. He was arrested during a broader crackdown linked to political activities associated with Rabgya Monastery and its monks. Chinese authorities accused him of maintaining connections with exile groups and associating with other detained monks involved in alleged political activism. As a result, he was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment on politically motivated charges related to Tibetan nationalist activities.