Reported by Palden
Translated by TenGyal
Edited by Kelsang Jinpa
Golog Palden, a Tibetan singer who was convicted and sentenced to three years in prison in November 2023, has been released before completing his sentence.
In November 2023, Golog Palden, a young Tibetan singer from Yotak Village, Dhidha Yultso, Pema county in Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, was arrested and held in detention for a period of time. Subsequently, he was covertly convicted and handed a three-year prison sentence on charges related to singing a patriotic song. Although he was released early on 25th September 2024, he remains under surveillance and has been warned against performing any patriotic songs in the future.
According to a reliable source in Tibet, the Chinese government has released the singer in a secretive manner, without notifying his family. The circumstances surrounding his sudden release remain a mystery. Nevertheless, the source indicated that the authorities continue to monitor the singer’s every move and action covertly.
Most of the prisoners who were released early by China are found to be in poor health conditions, and many of them become severely ill. Upon inquiring about Golog Palden’s present health condition, we came to know that the Chinese government has not allowed the singer any visits from the people of his village recently. Furthermore, due to the secrecy of the Chinese government, not many people were aware of his release from prison. Despite outside appearances, the true state of Golog Palden’s health remains unclear.
A native of Yatok Village of Dhidu Yultso in the Banma (Pema) County of Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Golog Palden is widely recognised for his fondness for playing the traditional Tibetan lute. In 2022, he placed sixth in a prestigious Tibetan lute-playing competition hosted by Minthang Sermo Tso. Renowned for his genuine and humble personality, Golog Palden has garnered a dedicated following, particularly from the Kham region. Notably, in 2022, he captivated audiences with the online release of his poignant single “Remembering Mother” (Ama Dren Lu). He has amassed over 98000 devoted followers on his Chinese TikTok (Dou Yin) account. Palden’s arrest stemmed from his online performance of a cover song titled “I Am the Tsenpo’s Messenger,” originally by another artist, Namkha. The performance, seen as politically sensitive by Chinese authorities, led to his conviction in 2023.
