Tibetan Monk Released from Prison in Poor Health After Serving 3.5 Years

Rachung Gendun, a Tibetan monk jailed for sending donations to the Dalai Lama and an exiled monastery abbot, was released on Nov. 16 after serving three and a half years, according to sources in Tibet cited by Radio Free Asia. His health has significantly deteriorated, and he is undergoing treatment in Chengdu, Sichuan province. Arrested in 2021, Gendun's case underscores China's crackdown on Tibetan religious ties and dissent. His mother, Norpo, who faced harassment following a relative's self-immolation protest, died before seeing him again. Gendun previously opposed China’s "patriotic education" campaign requiring Tibetans to denounce the Dalai Lama.