Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama, was disappeared by Chinese authorities in 1995 at just six years old.

He has not been seen in public since he was forcefully disappeared, and his true whereabouts remain unknown.

Despite official claims that he is “safe,” no independent verification has ever been allowed.

Lhundrup Drakpa, a Tibetan singer from Driru, was sentenced to six years in prison in 2020 after performing songs that contain lyrics denouncing years of China’s repressive policies and practices in Tibet.

He has since been held in harsh conditions, with no transparency around his treatment or wellbeing, highlighting the severe repression faced by Tibetans who peacefully express their culture and views.

Go Sherab Gyatso, a respected Tibetan monk, scholar, and writer, was secretly sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2021 after China accused him of “inciting separatism.” He was detained in 2020 on politically motivated charges.

Held incommunicado and denied proper medical care despite chronic health issues, his imprisonment is widely seen as retribution by the Chinese government for his outspoken advocacy for Tibetan culture, religion, and education.

Khenpo Tenpa Dhargye, a prominent Tibetan religious leader, was detained by Chinese authorities in May 2024 along with 20 villagers in Ponkor, Golok, including village chief Gonpo Namgyal, who later died from severe torture in custody. The arrests are linked to Khenpo Dhargye’s “Language Protection Association,” an initiative to preserve the Tibetan language.

His whereabouts and condition remain unknown.

Gangkye Drubpa Kyab, a Tibetan teacher, writer, and editor, was arrested in March 2021 and sentenced to 14 years in prison on politically motivated charges. He is well-known for authoring ‘Call of Fate’, ‘Pain of This Era’ and ‘Today’s Tear of Pain’. His writings include a book about the pain and suffering endured by Tibetans surrounding the 2008 Tibetan Uprising.

His whereabouts, status, and health condition are currently unknown.

Tsongon Tsering, a young Tibetan environmental activist from Tibet, publicly denounced illegal sand and gravel mining in his village by holding up his ID card on social media. He was sentenced to prison for “disrupting social order,” with his sentence later extended after he refused to plead guilty.

Even now, after his release, he lives under strict restrictions, a stark reminder of the risks Tibetans face when defending their land and environment.

Jampa Choephel, a Tibetan monk, was sentenced in a secret trial in 2024 to 18 months in prison simply for sharing a teaching of His Holiness the Dalai Lama on social media.

Prior to his trial, Jampa Choephel spent half a year in arbitrary detention.

Jampa Choephel’s family has been denied visits, while he’s kept under constant surveillance – a stark example of the crackdown on religious freedom in Tibet.