Dharamshala: Gonpo Kyi, the sister of imprisoned Tibetan businessman and political prisoner Dorjee Tashi has reportedly been left in critical condition after jumping from the second floor of a hotel, amid repeated instances of assault and mistreatment by Chinese police in Lhasa, Tibet.
According to reliable sources, Gonpo Kyi traveled to Lhasa on 18 August 2025 to appeal for her legal rights to meet both her brother, Dorjee Tashi and his lawyer. However, her peaceful appeals were met with unlawful and violent resistance from the Chinese police. Chinese police in plainclothes reportedly dragged Gonpo Kyi through the streets, beating her and seriously injuring her.
Chinese police forcibly confined her to Yak Hotel against her will. When she attempted to move out of the hotel, authorities again manhandled her, dragging her back inside and throwing her to the ground. She was forbidden from leaving her hotel, with officials in plainclothes stationed both inside and outside the building to monitor her every move and activity.
On the morning of 20 August, she was confronted yet again by the Chinese police who allegedly beat her and further curtailed her freedom. Out of desperation and anger, Gonpo Kyi reportedly jumped from the second floor of the building in what sources describe as a desperate act of protest amid the mistreatments. She sustained serious injuries to her waist and limbs which left her in a critical condition. Chinese police denied Gonpo Kyi, a timely access to hospital and medical care in the aftermath of the incident.
In a series of five videos recorded between 18 to 20 August from the hotel where she was forcibly held, Gonpo Kyi denounced the Chinese authorities’ blatant violations of her rights. She stated:
“I came to see my brother, which is my legal right under Chinese law. Instead, they have locked me up like a prisoner, denying me the chance to deliver letters or meet my brother and his lawyer. I am suffering from severe injuries to both my leg and waist, and it is undeniable that Dorjee was wrongfully imprisoned treated as if he were a criminal forced under a black cap.”
In one of the clips, a woman confronted her, demanding that she stop recording. Gonpo Kyi firmly responded that while she was not taking photographs at that moment, she had every right to do so if she chose. These testimonies expose China’s systematic repression and its ruthless denial of basic rights to Tibetans, even when those rights are guaranteed under its own laws.
A Long Struggle for Justice
Dorjee Tashi, once a successful Tibetan businessman, was arrested during the 2008 protests in Tibet and subjected to months of torture while in detention. In 2010, after a closed trial at the Lhasa Intermediate People’s Court, he was sentenced to life imprisonment on fabricated charges of loan fraud, though the case was in fact politically motivated. His brother, Dorjee Tseten, received a six-year prison sentence at the same time and was later released.
Since his imprisonment, Dorjee Tashi’s family has repeatedly sought legal review of the case multiple times and in multiple ways. In 2020, the Chinese court rejected the appeals made by his lawyer and relatives in reconsideration of his case. Between 2023 and 2024, Gonpo Kyi along with her husband Choekyong, and brother Dorjee Tseten staged more than seven peaceful hunger strikes and prayer protests outside government offices and courts in Lhasa. Their actions were met with repeated detentions and violence from Chinese officials.
The incident occurs as the so-called “Tibet Autonomous Region” observes the 60th anniversary of its establishment under unlawful Chinese rule, with authorities imposing heightened security measures throughout Lhasa. Meanwhile, Dorjee Tashi’s brother, Dorjee Tseten, has reportedly been forcibly relocated from Lhasa to southern Tibet and barred from returning. Despite years of peaceful protest, authorities continue to deny the family legal representation and visitation rights.
The imprisonment of Dorjee Tashi on politically motivated charges highlights China’s insecurity and discriminatory treatment of prominent Tibetans. Tashi was singled out and severely punished for expressing support for Tibet against Chinese repression—actions that run counter to both Chinese law and international human rights standards. China must end such practices and to respect the rights and dignity of the Tibetan people, as it pledges to the international community.
- Filed by the UN, EU, and the Human Rights Desk, Tibet Advocacy Section, DIIR
Photo appears to show a plainclothes police officer positioned to block the road and monitor Gonpo Kyi
Gonpo Kyi’s recording reveals what appears to be a police vehicle, deliberately stationed to shadow her every move from the hotel
