Geshe Sonam Phuntsok
POLITICAL PRISONER- Does it have an image?
- Yes
- Gender
- Male
- Age at Detention
- 46
- Origin County Level
- Origin Province
- Sichuan Province
- Origin Prefecture
- Kardze (Ch: Ganzi ) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture,
- Occupation at Detention
- Religious
- Vulnerable Group at Detention
- Religious
- Date of arrest
- 25/10/1999
- Detention Centre/Prison
- Menyang Prison
- Responsible for arrest and detention
- People's Armed Police (PAP)
- Public Security Bureau Officials (PSB)
- Description of event
Geshe Sonam Phuntsok, a highly respected Tibetan religious leader from Mongasang Village, Kandze County, was arrested on 25 October 1999 at approximately 5 a.m. by a force of around 60 Chinese Public Security Bureau (PSB) officers at his retreat in the Wakhar area. Witnesses reported that he was violently seized at gunpoint, with his head forced down and arms tightly restrained. News of his arrest spread rapidly, prompting nearly 3,000 Tibetans to gather peacefully, demanding his immediate release.
In response, authorities imposed a severe crackdown: security forces detained many demonstrators and subjected Sonam Phuntsok to brutal torture at Kandze Detention Centre. Prisoners were reportedly beaten, electrocuted with cattle prods, and tortured with pliers and boiling water, leaving many permanently disabled. Despite widespread public support, Sonam Phuntsok was sentenced on 31 October 1999 to seven years in Menyang Prison, where he endured harsh and oppressive conditions.
The protests intensified the following day, with roughly 10,000 Tibetans from Kandze County and nearby areas assembling outside the court, chanting slogans such as “Release Geshe Sonam Phuntsok” and “Geshe is innocent.” Authorities responded with around 600 PSB and People’s Armed Police officers, who deployed tear gas and fired live rounds, resulting in widespread injuries. Nearly 100 individuals were arrested, about 20 required hospitalization, and a strict curfew was imposed across Kandze County from 27 October to 3 November 1999. Telephone lines were cut, and extensive house-to-house searches and beatings followed.
- Types of Human Rights Violations
- 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
- 7 years
- Prison Location
- TAR
- Type of Sources
- Primary: TCHRD field sources
- Torture
- Torture
- Comments
Among those arrested in connection with the Kandze protests between October and November 1999, TCHRD documented sixteen individuals, including:
Lobsang Jampa (Loga) – Former village head, about 45, from Dhakpakha Village; arrested 10 November 1999; sentenced to three years in Menyang Prison.
Chemji Tsering (A-Tsula) – 55, local government employee from Rego Village; arrested 21 December 1999; held in Kandze Detention Centre.
Jampa Sonam (Jhosar) – 26, farmer from Sadhu Village; arrested 10 November 1999; sentenced to two and a half years in Menyang Prison.
Khando Choezom (Ani Khalu) – 40, nun from Dhulingo Village; arrested 15 November 1999; sentenced to six years in Kandze Prison.
Talu Wangyal – 25, farmer from Shusare Village; arrested 1999; sentenced to four and a half years in Menyang Prison.
Sonam Phuntsok (Geshe) – About 39, village head of Mongasang Village; arrested 25 October 1999; sentenced to seven years in Menyang Prison.
Phuntsok – 22, from Dura Village; arrested 3 November 1999; sentenced to three years in Menyang Prison.
Wangdi – 45, businessman from Bushu Village; arrested 26 November 1999; sentenced to three years in Menyang Prison.
Sonam Yeshi – 32, local government employee from Ronbazon Village; arrested 31 October 1999; sentenced to six years in Xinduqiao Prison, Sichuan.
Pema Kunsang – 22, monk from Shusare Village; sentenced to four years in Xinduqiao Prison.
Chime Gyaltsen – 33, farmer from Shusare Village; arrested 31 October 1999; sentenced to four and a half years.
Tenzin Dakpa – About 26, farmer from Yartse Village; arrested 3 November 1999; sentenced to four years in Xinduqiao Prison.
Jampa Wangtso – 31, nun from Gurthang Village; arrested mid-December 1999; sentenced to five years in Kandze Prison.
Thupten Choencho – About 66, farmer from Rego Village; sentenced to six years in Kandze Prison.
Kelsang Phuntsok (Karpang) – About 30, farmer from Shurtsekha Village; arrested 30 October 1999; sentenced to five years in Xinduqiao Prison.
Dawa Gyamtso (Dcanam) – 29, farmer from Jawar Village; arrested 30 October 1999; sentenced to four years in Xinduqiao Prison.
The mass arrests and violent suppression following Sonam Phuntsok detention exemplify the Chinese authorities’ harsh measures to suppress Tibetan religious and cultural expression, as well as the widespread persecution of those involved in peaceful protests.
- Published
- Published