Lobsang Samben
POLITICAL PRISONER- Does it have an image?
- No
- Gender
- Male
- Age at Detention
- 35
- Occupation at Detention
- Religious
- Vulnerable Group at Detention
- Religious
- Date of arrest
- 1997
- Detention Centre/Prison
- Chamdo Prison
- Responsible for arrest and detention
- Work Team
- Description of event
Lobsang Samben, a 35-year-old monk and painter from Pomda Monastery, was arrested in 1997 after a Chinese “re-education” work team discovered a painting he had created depicting a snow lion and a mountain, both widely recognized symbols of Tibetan national identity.
- Place(s) of Previous Detention
- Prison
- Violations Faced in Detention
- Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment: Use of Tiger Chairs
- Details of Violations Faced in Detention
Following his arrest, he was taken to the Pashul County Police Station and later transferred to Chamdo Prefecture Prison, where he was detained for two months and twelve days. During this period, he was subjected to severe ill-treatment. His hands were bound, and he was beaten daily for nearly one month. He was provided with only water and a single small steamed bun as food, resulting in extreme physical weakness.
Despite repeated pleas from his father for his release, the authorities refused to intervene, and Lobsang Samben continued to endure harsh and degrading treatment while in custody.
- Types of Human Rights Violations
- Social, Economic and Cultural Rights Violations: Educational Rights
- Civil and Political Rights Violations: Right to Freedom of Expression and Opinion
- Length of Sentence
- 2 months
- Prison Location
- Type of Sources
- Primary: TCHRD field sources
- Torture
- Torture
- Comments
His case illustrates the criminalization of artistic expression, the use of torture and starvation as punishment, and the denial of basic human dignity to Tibetan monks under so-called “re-education” campaigns.
- Published
- Published