China Must End Incommunicado Detention in Tibet's Ngaba
Ngaba County in Sichuan Province (historical Amdo region of Tibet) continues to be a hotspot of repression, where Chinese authorities routinely detain Tibetans incommunicado—without trial, legal counsel, or contact with family. This brutal practice, used to criminalize peaceful expression, is not new, but the recent case of two Tibetan men jailed for honoring the Dalai Lama has brought it back into sharp focus.
Current Case: Sentenced for Singing a Song
According to a July 2024 report, two Tibetans—Rinchen Kyi (46) and Sonam Palden (40)—were sentenced to four and three years in prison, respectively, for performing a song in honor of the Dalai Lama during a private gathering. Chinese authorities accused them of “inciting separatism,” despite the peaceful nature of their act. Both were held incommunicado for months before their families learned of the sentencing.
📌 Source: The Tribune
This case reveals the extremes to which China is willing to go to suppress any symbolic or cultural expression tied to the Tibetan spiritual leader, who remains revered by Tibetans worldwide but is labeled a “splittist” by Beijing.
Environmental Advocacy Punished: The Case of Tsogon Tsering
Another recent case is that of Tsogon Tsering, a 29-year-old Tibetan from Soruma village in Ngaba. In August 2023, he posted videos online opposing illegal sand mining that was damaging the local river—an issue of environmental and cultural concern for Tibetans. He was summoned by Chinese police, detained incommunicado, and later sentenced to eight months in prison under the charge of “disturbing social order.”
📌 Source: TCHRD
Tsering’s arrest shows that even environmental protection—deeply rooted in Tibetan Buddhist values—is considered a threat by Chinese authorities if it challenges state-backed projects or exposes exploitation.
Past Patterns of Incommunicado Detention in Ngaba
Ngaba has long been at the forefront of Tibetan resistance and Chinese state repression. The area is home to Kirti Monastery, where many monks and laypeople have been subjected to arbitrary arrests and disappearances, especially since the 2008 uprisings and subsequent self-immolation protests.
In past years, dozens of monks from Kirti were detained without trial, including:
These individuals were often held without any legal proceedings, a tactic meant to silence dissent and prevent any public attention or mobilization.
Why Incommunicado Detention Is So Dangerous
Incommunicado detention allows no legal recourse, no family visits, and no oversight. It creates a legal black hole where detainees are often tortured, forced into confessions, or disappear entirely. Under international human rights law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights—which China has signed—this practice is a clear violation.
In addition to the physical and psychological harm inflicted on detainees, the broader chilling effect on Tibetan society is severe. People are afraid to speak, share, or even sing about their identity, faith, or homeland.
A Systematic Attack on Tibetan Identity
From punishing spiritual songs to silencing environmental voices, China’s incommunicado detention strategy in Ngaba is part of a larger campaign to erase Tibetan identity. Religious freedom, cultural expression, and basic rights to communication are criminalized under the guise of “social stability” and “anti-separatism.”
The use of such extreme measures—without evidence, transparency, or accountability—reflects a government more concerned with control than justice.
What Needs to Be Done
Conclusion
The international community must not stay silent as Tibetans continue to be disappeared into China’s opaque legal system for acts as simple as singing or speaking the truth. Ngaba County today is a microcosm of what Tibetans across occupied Tibet endure—fear, censorship, and the constant threat of vanishing without a trace.
It’s time to demand accountability. It’s time to end incommunicado detention in Tibet.