Rinzin
POLITICAL PRISONER- Does it have an image?
- No
- Gender
- Male
- Age at Detention
- 61
- Origin County Level
- Ngari Prefecture
- Origin Prefecture
- Ngari (Ch: Ali) Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR).
- Date of Detention
- August, 1996
- Description of event
Rinzin was a 61-year-old Tibetan political prisoner from Mugrum Trethe Township in Lhabrang, Ngari Region. He was imprisoned in August or September 1996 after authorities reportedly discovered a photograph of the Dalai Lama in his home, an act treated by Chinese officials as a political crime.
He was accused of being “bad for the country” and was detained for one month in the township prison without any formal charge or trial. Rinzin was then transferred to Ngari Region, where he was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment, again without due legal process.
- Violations Faced in Detention
- Denial of Medical Treatment
- No Fair Trial: No family meet ups
- No Fair Trial: No legal representation
- Details of Violations Faced in Detention
During his detention, Rinzin’s health deteriorated severely. He suffered from tuberculosis, extreme malnutrition, and appeared physically emaciated. Despite his critical condition, prison authorities denied him regular family visits and adequate food supplies. He was kept in the prison hospital for one month and then released in a gravely weakened state.
- Types of Human Rights Violations
- Legal and Procedural Rights Violations: Right to Fair Trial
- Civil and Political Rights Violations: Right to Freedom of Expression and Opinion
- Civil and Political Rights Violations: Right to Freedom of Religion or Belief
- Civil and Political Rights Violations: Right to Liberty and security of person
- Length of Sentence
- 3 years
- Prison Location
- Ngari Prefecture
- Date of release
- January, 1997
- Consequences of Detention After Release
Rinzin died one month after his release, in February 1997. Although the exact cause of death remains unknown, it is widely believed that it resulted from ill-treatment, torture, and the denial of proper medical care during his imprisonment. The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy has called for a thorough investigation into his death and for those responsible to be held accountable.
- Type of Sources
- Primary: TCHRD field sources
- Torture
- Torture
- Published
- Published
- Is the Prisoner Deceased?
- Yes