Tsepa, 29, a Tibetan poet known as Chenbang, who’s writing was critical of Chinese policies in Tibet, has died, reports Radio Free Asia. Tsepa was arrested and interrogated by the Chinese police in Tibet and subsequently suffered from health problems and alcohol abuse. He died as a result of these health problems in the Chigdril County Hospital in Golug in Kham [Ch: Sichuan].
RFA’s source said “He had been detained and questioned earlier by the Chinese government for writing about Tibetan issues.” Tsepa’s writing included books and poetry which he published online; he “had been arrested and interrogated many times,” RFA’s source continued. RFA reports that Tsepa’s poems are being widely shared and that he is being praised “for his contributions to Tibet’s culture and the Tibetan language”.
Tsepa was born in Chigdril and graduated from the Northwest University for Nationalities in Gansu province.