Chinese authorities have sentenced two Tibetan monks to jail for allegedly possessing Dalai Lama’s photographs

Beijing 2 September : Chinese authorities have sentenced two Tibetan monks to at most three years in prison for possessing pictures of the Dalai Lama, Tibets foremost Buddhist spiritual leader who has been in exile since 1959.

reports in the media statedTenzin Dhargye is monk in his 30s, was detained in September 2020.

sources claimed that a number of monks were taken into custody with Tenzin Dhargye, RFA reported.RFA has discovered that Rigtse whos age is not known was among the defendants.

Tenzin Dhargye was sentenced to 3 years and 6 months while Rigtse was sentenced to three years in prison.The two monks were part of the 250 who resided in the Barong monastery in Kardze Tibetan Autonomous Prefectures Sershul county.

They had pictures of the Dalai Lama on their cell phones and have been in custody for more than two years, RFA reported "In May of this year, they both were found guilty of being guilty of an act of separatism by possessing photographs of the Dalai Lama," the source said "They were both found guilty of a crime by the Peoples Court in Sershul county and nobody is sure what fairness was in the trial since their families and relatives werent allowed to meet their loved ones," said the source "Tibetans are being restraining by Chinese authorities, so they dont divulge or discuss information about them.As a result, we dont have any information about their health or the prison in which they are held in." "Since 2021 since 2021, the Chinese government has been systematically inspecting each and every house and threatening Tibetans with threats, warning them that having photos of the Dalai Lama is as felonious as owning guns and weapons." .