Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Burma
Ethnic Group: Chin
Religion or Belief: Christian – Protestant
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Sentence: 23 Years' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: September//2021
Date of Sentencing: December/7/2022
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Religious Figure & Religious Leadership Role
Nature of Charges: Spreading Propaganda & False or Misleading Ideas, Information, or Materials Terrorism
Thian Lian Sang
Extra Bio Info:
Thian Lian Sang is imprisoned for his religious leadership role.
In September 2021, authorities reportedly arrested Sang, a Chin Baptist pastor, amid a wave of detentions by the Burmese Army of faith leaders from minority ethnic and religious communities.
On December 7, 2022, Thian Lian Sang was sentenced to three years in prison for "publishing or circulating any statement, rumor, or report with intent to cause...any officer, soldier...to mutiny or otherwise disregard or fail in his duty" (Sec. 505(a) BPC) and 20 years for terrorism (Sec. 49(a) Counter-Terrorism Law).
Sources:
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"Chin pastor receives prison sentence, Former junta ministers sentenced for corruption" Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB)
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"Chin Baptist Pastor Abducted by the Burmese Army Still Missing" International Christian Concern (ICC)
Additional Name(s): བསོད་ནམས་རྒྱ་མཚོ་, 索南嘉措
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: China
Ethnic Group: Tibetan
Religion or Belief: Buddhist – Tibetan
Reports of Torture: Yes
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Sentence: 2 Years' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: April/3/2021
Date of Sentencing: July//2022
Date of Release: May/23/2023
Current Status: Released
Religious Leader: Yes
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Adherence to a Religious Figure
Nature of Charges: Unknown
Sonam Gyatso
Extra Bio Info:
Sonam Gyatso was imprisoned for his adherence to a religious figure.
On April 3, 2021, authorities in Aba (Ngaba) county, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture (T&QAP), Sichuan, detained Gyatso, a monk from Kirti Monastery, at the monastery.
In July 2022, a court reportedly sentenced Gyatso to two years in prison for sending donations abroad to the Dalai Lama and Kirti Rinpoche, the leader of Kirti Monastery.
On May 23, 2023, Gyatso was released from Menyang prison after completing his sentence.
While in prison, Gyatso was reportedly tortured.
Related Cases: Rachung Gedun
Sources:
- "Tibetan monk released from prison in poor health after serving two-year sentence" Radio Free Asia
- "Sonam Gyatso" Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC)
Additional Name(s): Rachung Gendun, རྭ་ཆུང་དགེ་འདུན་, 让琼格登
Gender: Male
Current Location: Mianyang Prison, Fucheng, Mianyang, Sichuan
Perpetrator: China
Ethnic Group: Tibetan
Religion or Belief: Buddhist – Tibetan
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Sentence: 3 Years' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: April/1/2021
Date of Sentencing: July//2022
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: Yes
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Adherence to a Religious Figure
Nature of Charges: Unknown
Rachung Gedun
Extra Bio Info:
Rachung Gedun is imprisoned for his adherence to a religious figure.
On April 1, 2021, authorities in Chengdu municipality, Sichuan province, detained Gedun, a monk from Kirti Monastery in Aba (Ngaba) county, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture (T&QAP), while he was on vacation in Chengdu.
In July 2022, a court reportedly sentenced Gedun to three years in prison for sending donations abroad to the Dalai Lama and Kirti Rinpoche, the leader of Kirti Monastery.
Related Cases: Sonam Gyatso
Sources:
- "Rachung Gedun" Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC)