Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Nov. 12: Prominent Tibetan language rights activist and former political prisoner Tashi Wangchuk has reportedly been re-arrested by Chinese authorities, according to Tibetan media outlet Tibet Times.
TT reported that Tashi Wangchuk was detained on November 8, but his current whereabouts and condition remain unknown. His family has attempted to obtain information but has been unsuccessful. Chinese authorities have charged him with a “state security crime” and imposed a prohibition on his involvement in Tibetan language and education activities. Further details about the charges or his situation have not been disclosed.
Tashi Wangchuk, a native of Kyegudo in Yushu Prefecture in Eastern Tibet, gained international attention after appearing in The New York Times documentary where he emphasised the importance of preserving the Tibetan language and discussed his attempt to sue local authorities for shutting down Tibetan language classes across Tibet.
In January 2016, Chinese authorities detained Wangchuk, holding him in a secret location where he reportedly endured torture. After two years in pre-trial detention, he was sentenced to five years in prison on charges of “inciting separatism,” a conviction widely condemned as politically motivated.
Since his release in January 2021, Wangchuk has continued to call on authorities in Tibet to uphold China’s constitution, which protects the teaching of minority languages, including Tibetan. Despite his commitment to language preservation, he has faced ongoing restrictions on his movement, as well as repeated interrogations and harassment in connection with his activism.
