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The International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) has learned of the death in police custody of Samten, a 25-year-old monk from Ditsa Geden Tashi Choedingling Monastery in Amdo in present-day Qinghai Province. On December 18, 2025, local police in Shongshan Tibetan Township, in Palung (Hualong) Hui Autonomous County, Tsoshar (Haidong), Qinghai Province, returned Samten’s body to the monastery, claiming he “suddenly fell ill” and died during an unsuccessful emergency transfer to an unspecified hospital. However, local sources suspect that Samten was beaten to death during interrogation by Chinese officials. News of his death began circulating in March 2026.
Upon returning his remains in 2025, Chinese authorities ordered the monks not to disclose any information regarding Samten’s death. The current situation of Samten’s family remains unknown. Owing to Chinese authorities’ severe restrictions on access to information, when and for what reasons Samten was taken into police custody ar...
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