Dharamshala: Tulku Palden Wangyal, the Head Lama of the Choegyal Monasteries in Botoed (འབོ་སྟོད་གྲོང་), Gardhab (སྒར་འདབ་གྲོང་), Ngyagle (ཉག་ལེ་གྲོང་), and Shungkor (གཞུང་སྐོར་གྲོང་) villages of Gonjo (Ch: Gongjiue) County, passed away in prison at the age of 53 after prolonged detention, according to reliable sources.
Tulku Palden Wangyal was deeply committed to the welfare of the local Tibetan community. He actively advocated for the preservation of Tibetan culture, promoted loyalty to Tibetan identity, and taught the importance of unity by discouraging internal disputes among Tibetans. His respected position and teachings, however, raised suspicion within the Chinese authorities. As a result, he was forcibly arrested and imprisoned for approximately seven to eight years.
Initially held in Gonjo County prison, Tulku Palden Wangyal was later transferred to Chamdo (Ch: Changdu) and Lhasa, where he endured increasingly harsh conditions and relentless torture. Despite multiple appeals for his release, the Chinese authorities refused to respond and imposed strict prohibitions on any contact with him.
In 2025, he was forcibly moved to Gansu Province, where he continued to face unrelenting torture. On 19 July, he died in custody. His death has brought profound grief to all associated monasteries.
This report highlights the ongoing absence of religious freedom, freedom of movement, and freedom of speech in Tibet. The Chinese government continues to enforce severe and systematic oppression against the Tibetan people.
