China publishes new rules to curb protest and use of social media in Tibet
August 22, 2016
Phayul, August 22, 2016 – The Chinese authorities have distributed a manual in Tibetan and Chinese in monasteries of Ngaba County as their latest move to curb and criminalize self-immolation, solo protests carrying portrait of the Dalai Lama and sending information outside Tibet through social media.
The book issues stringent orders prohibiting self-immolations, solo protest and dissemination of news outside Tibet. It gives strict directive for the monks to follow the said rules or be deemed a ‘separatist’ and penalized.
“The authorities view this new laws introduced by China as a means to justify and legalize the suppression of Tibetans. This shows the real situation inside Tibet and proves an authoritarian rule in Tibet,” said Lobsang Yeshi, a monk of Kirti Monastery here in exile.
The manual also indicates that those who are indirectly involved with the self immolation protest or a solo protest will also be punished as co-conspirators. Two monks of the monastery, Lobsang Tsultrim and Lobsang Jangchup were sentenced to 11 years and eight years respectively for their involvement in the self-immolation of teen monk Gepey in 2012.
China on January 31, 2013 sentenced six Tibetans to heavy jail terms of up to 12 years for their alleged roles in trying to rescue a Tibetan self-immolator from falling into the hands of Chinese officials.