Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], August 1 (ANI): The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) has highlighted the case of Tibetan political prisoner Lhamo Dorjee as part of its ongoing campaign to profile individuals it describes as victims of political repression in Tibet.

According to the CTA, Lhamo Dorjee was arrested in November 2012 and was later sentenced to 15 years in prison by a Chinese county court in Luchu, located in Kanlho Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. The CTA alleged that Dorjee was wrongfully convicted on charges of 'intentional homicide' linked to his alleged involvement in a self-immolation protest.

The Tibetan administration stated that the case relates to the November 29, 2012 self-immolation protest of Tsering Namgyal, following which Dorjee was accused of 'inciting' the act. On February 28, 2013, he was handed a 15-year prison sentence along with an additional three-year deprivation of political rights.

The CTA claimed that the trial was conducted under heavy security, with local Tibetans reportedly prevented from approaching the court premises. It alleged that Dorjee's imprisonment reflects a wider pattern of actions by Chinese authorities to suppress dissent and punish individuals associated with protests.

The CTA called for the immediate and unconditional release of Lhamo Dorjee, urging respect for what it describes as the human rights of the Tibetan people and compliance with international human rights standards.

Self-immolation protests have been a major source of tension between Tibetan activists and Chinese authorities. Since 2009, more than 150 Tibetans have reportedly carried out self-immolation protests, according to Tibetan advocacy groups, in acts linked to demands for greater religious and cultural freedoms. Chinese authorities have rejected accusations of widespread repression, maintaining that Tibet enjoys social stability, economic development and religious freedom.

The China-Tibet issue is a long-standing political and human rights dispute over the status, governance and identity of Tibet. Tibetan groups, including the exile administration, have raised concerns over cultural preservation, religious freedoms and political rights. The issue gained global attention after the 1959 Tibetan uprising and the subsequent exile of the Dalai Lama to India. (ANI)