Gaye Phuntsok (b. 1931), a respected Tibetan community leader from Gyaye village in Qinghai Province, was arrested by Chinese National Security officials in August 1998 at the age of 68, and his whereabouts remain unknown.

Phuntsok, a former monk educated at Dibser Monastery, had previously been detained and tortured during the 1949 Chinese invasion and the Cultural Revolution. After his release, he worked to improve local conditions by advocating for the return of land taken by the military and by establishing a school for children from poor Tibetan families.

Following a pilgrimage to India in 1992, he was placed under surveillance. In August 1998, authorities raided his home, confiscated booklets containing speeches by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and arrested him. He is believed to be detained in Qinghai Province, but his exact location remains unknown.