Lorang Konchok Tibetan monk sentenced to death Country: China

Tibetan Monk Sentenced to Death

Laorong Kunchok, a 40-year-old Tibetan monk, has been sentenced to death and lifelong deprivation of political rights by a court in the Sichuan Province of China. Kunchok is a member of the Kirti monastery in the Aba County, an autonomous region in Tibet. According to the investigation, in 2009, Kunchok joined the separatist movement that was gaining momentum in Tibet. He is specifically accused of inciting self-immolation, with eight cases of incitement attributed to him. Self-immolation has become a popular form of protest among Tibetans, with nearly 100 people choosing this method since 2009 to express their dissatisfaction with Beijing's policies. The Chinese authorities suspect the Dalai Lama and the Tibet Independence Organization to be behind these acts, although both deny any involvement or encouragement. During the trial, Kunchok admitted his guilt. Interestingly, three of the individuals he incited self-immolated in 2012, while the remaining five either did not voluntarily proceed or were stopped by the police. Kunchok's death sentence has been postponed for two years, effectively translating to a life sentence as death sentences are typically commuted to life imprisonment. Kunchok's nephew, Lorang Tsering, who was also involved in the case, received a 10-year prison sentence and a two-year deprivation of political rights.