Jigme Gyatso

Jigme Gyatso (born 1961) is a Tibetan activist of the Tibetan Independence Organisation who, in 1996, was sentenced to 15 years in prison on charges of "leading a counter-revolutionary organisation" and "inciting splittism". Two more years were added to his sentence in 2004 when he protested in jail.

Background and early activism Jigme Gyatso is from Kersul in Amdo, in Gansu province, Tibet. In 1985, he travelled to India to receive religious initiation, then returned to Tibet to join a monastery the following year. He then became involved in the Tibetan independence movement, acting as the leader of the secret youth organization "Tibetan Independence Organisation" in 1991. In 1992, he helped to organize a pro-independence rally in Lhasa, at which many participants were arrested by the Chinese public security bureau (PSB). Following the rally, PSB officials put Jigme Gyatso under surveillance.

He was transferred to Drapchi Prison in April 1997. Amnesty International has campaigned repeatedly for Jigme Gyatso's release, and designated him a "prisoner of conscience", "detained solely for peacefully exercising his rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly". The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy has issued warnings over his health and called for his release on compassionate grounds.

On 27 November 2005, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Manfred Nowak visited Jigme Gyatso in prison; in his official report, Nowak recommended that the prisoner be released. Jigme Gyatso was reportedly subject to beatings and solitary confinement as a result of the meeting.

Release Jigme Gyatso was released from Chusul prison on 30 March 2013. He was ordered to return to his Sangchu home and arrived under police escort on 1 April 2013. His friend Jamyang Tsultrim related that "Those who saw him reported that he was very weak. He was limping and reported having heart problems and high blood pressure. His vision was also weak." Further he said that "People might think he is free now. But I want to make clear that Jigme Gyatso still suffers under surveillance of Chinese officials. He still has no rights and freedom."