A Tibetan monk detained in Lhasa in 2021 was secretly sentenced to seven years in prison by Chinese authorities, according to a report by Tibet Times (TT), cited by ANI, raising fresh concerns over alleged rights violations in Tibet.
The monk, identified as Venerable Dargye, was taken into custody on August 5, 2021, along with two others, a relative named Tsering and a nun, Choekyi. While the two were released within months, Dargye’s whereabouts remained unknown for years, with no official confirmation of his legal status or condition.
The report now states that authorities quietly handed him a seven-year prison term on charges linked to religious activities and alleged assistance to monks attempting to leave Tibet. He was accused of offering prayers and religious tributes to Dalai Lama, a figure Beijing considers politically sensitive, and of helping facilitate escapes.
Uncertainty over his fate persisted even as recently as September 17, 2025, when local residents approached police in Lhasa seeking information. Officials reportedly assured them that Dargye was in good health and would be released soon. These reassurances, described in the report as misleading, are said to have delayed wider awareness of his situation beyond the region.
Dargye, believed to be around 63 years old, hails from Serta in Walshul, in the Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, and is affiliated with Sera Monastery. Before his detention, he was known for leading a life devoted to religious practice, including pilgrimages, retreats, and teachings under prominent Tibetan Buddhist masters.
He was regarded locally as a learned and respected figure, particularly noted for conducting consecration rituals of religious objects such as statues, scriptures, and stupas.
