Photo: VOA and VOT
A Tibetan, who was detained in a Chinese prison in 2016 for singing the Tibetan National anthem, died on April 26, 2019 aged 31 years, reports Radio Free Asia.
The Ghu-Chu-Sum Movement Association of Tibet, report on their Facebook page that Pema Wangchen passed away at Chengdu hospital. They claim his death was related to life-threatening injuries sustained during a fifteen day detention in 2016. They said that he was treated severely during that time and was released in a very poor state of health. Following his release, he continued to suffer health complications and recently deteriorated.
The Facebook post reports that prior to being arrested in 2016, he was stopped by police and charged for driving without having a driving license in his possession. However, while being interviewed it became clear that his detention was related to the release of a video-recording of himself singing the banned Tibetan National anthem in February 2016. Phayul.com reports that the video was posted on Chinese micro messaging Wechat and went viral.
It is reported by Ghu-Chu-Sum that public benefits have been denied to him since his release in 2016. It is believed this is related to other family members being associated with political protests. Palden Trinley, a monk brother of Pema was imprisoned for seven years in 2008 for marching in the town of his monastery, shouting, “Long live the Dalai Lama.”
Pema Wangchen briefly went to school in India but returned to Tibet. He leaves three children from his first marriage and another from his second.
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