Lotse,57, from Sershul County, was accused of setting up a WeChat group honoring Tibetan religious leaders. The WeChat group was set up to celebrate the birthdays of revered Tibetan lamas.

Lotse is a single father of two sons and is now believed to be detained by authorities somewhere in Sershul, and local Tibetans were questioned about him and pressured by police in the period leading up to his arrest.