Tibetan Monk Subjected to Enforced Disappearance and Human Rights Violations

Chinese authorities have arrested and enforced the disappearance of senior Tibetan monk Dhargye, 63, after his arbitrary arrest in Lhasa in August 2021. For over four years, his family has been denied information about his fate or whereabouts. Dhargye, a respected monk of Serta Sera Monastery, was known for his honesty and spiritual discipline, and was sought out to conduct consecrations of sacred objects, scriptures, and stupas by local Tibetans. The Chinese authorities have not disclosed the reasons for Dhargye's detention, and his family has been denied the right to visit him.

Key Takeaways:

• Dhargye, a senior Tibetan monk, was arbitrarily arrested in Lhasa in August 2021 and has been subjected to enforced disappearance for over four years.
• His family has been denied information about his fate or whereabouts, and has not been allowed to visit him.
• Chinese authorities have not disclosed the reasons for Dhargye's detention, and his arrest is widely believed to be related to his maintaining contacts with Tibetans abroad.
• Dhargye's case represents a clear violation of China's own domestic law, including Article 85 of the 2018 Criminal Procedure Law, which requires police to notify a detainee's family within 24 hours of detention.
• The denial of family access, lack of information about charges, and prolonged incommunicado detention in Dhargye's case constitute clear violations of China's obligations under international human rights law.
• The Chinese government has been urged to account for the treatment of the detainees and to clarify the circumstances of the death in custody of Chugdar, who died under suspicious circumstances during his detention.
• Authorities frequently target monks, community leaders, and lay practitioners who organize or participate in traditional ceremonies, highlighting the ongoing repression of Tibet's religious and cultural practices by the Chinese government.

Statistics:

• Four years: the amount of time Dhargye has been subjected to enforced disappearance.
• 5 August 2021: the date of Dhargye's arrest.
• 2018: the year China's Criminal Procedure Law was enacted, requiring police to notify a detainee's family within 24 hours of detention.
• 1988: the year China ratified the Convention Against Torture (CAT).

Sources:

• The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD)
• United Nations Special Procedures experts
• China's 2018 Criminal Procedure Law
• The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)
• The Convention Against Torture (CAT)