The detentions of Samten Gyatso and Jamyang Samten highlight the ongoing repression of support for the Dalai Lama in Tibetan monasteries.
by Lopsang Gurung
Two monks from Chu Khama Monastery in Machu (Maqu) County, in the Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in southern Gansu province, Samten Gyatso and Jamyang Samten, have been held incommunicado for over a year after their arrests by Chinese authorities, according to reports from Tibetan exile media. Their current condition, location, and legal status are unknown, leaving their monastery and families in deep anxiety. The lack of information about their cases reflects a broader trend in which Tibetan religious figures vanish into the security system without formal charges or access to legal help.
The monks were detained under different circumstances. One was reportedly taken directly from the monastery, while the other was told to go to the police station to get back a mobile phone that had been seized during a previous search. When he arrived, he was arrested and has not been released since. The exact dates of their arrests remain unclear as communication with those connected to the case has become increasingly difficult.
Although no official charges have been announced, sources suggest that the detentions may relate to material found on their phones, including images of the Tibetan national flag. Both monks had already faced repeated questioning before their disappearance, despite the lack of any formal accusations at that time.
Ven. Samten Gyatso had been under scrutiny for online activity viewed as politically sensitive. He had used an image of the Dalai Lama as his WeChat background, which led to several police raids on his monastic quarters. During these searches, authorities took religious and literary materials, including a book titled “The Buddha’s Appearance in the Land of Snow.” He was also questioned after writing a brief tribute for the anniversary of the Dalai Lama’s Nobel Peace Prize. Although he was released after previous interrogations, these events seem to have put him under continuous surveillance.
Ven. Jamyang Samten had also attracted official attention for his online presence. He started a digital group to share information with the public and wrote a book that authorities claimed lacked the necessary state approval. He had been detained before and was released for those reasons, but this time he has not been seen again.
More than a year after their arrests, the lack of information about their whereabouts raises serious concerns about enforced incommunicado detention. The extended disappearance of the two monks highlights the ongoing restrictions on religious freedom, expression, and cultural identity in Tibetan areas under Chinese rule, where even peaceful online activities or possession of religious texts can lead to severe punishment.
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