Reported By Palden
Edited by Kelsang Jinpa
Translated By TenGyal
Venerable Zegya Gyatso, a monk from Tsang Monastery in Ba County, Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture has been released from detention. Yet, he continues to face health issues such as severely impaired vision in both eyes.
Around July 2nd, 2025 Ven. Zega Gyatso, who is a monk from Tsang Monastery in Ba County, Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture was forcefully abducted by the Chinese police from Xining. After being held in detention and subjected to interrogation for six months, he was released on January 2nd, 2026. However, on top of facing continued health issues such as weakened eyesight and pain in the knee, due to the Chinese authorities continuing to keep him under strict surveillance, no information about him and his condition following his release has been publicized outside.
A related source informed this Tibet Times correspondent that Ven. Zega Gyatso suffers from joint pain and despite having no prior eye issues, now has poor vision due to prolonged forced exposure to bright lights while in detention. However, they added that detailed information is unobtainable due to restrictions.
The same source went on to state that even though the Chinese authorities have released him, they continue to restrict and closely surveil all of his movements and activities through all means. He was summoned back to Xining three days after reaching his home and forced to sign a document promising not to engage in any future actions that conflict with the government’s interests. Although, he returned to his monastery after this Tibetan New Year (Losar), the source noted that his condition remained unclear.
In early July last year, while he was visiting to consult a doctor in Xining City due to poor health, Chinese police arrested and forcibly took him away. Furthermore, ever since the 2008 arrest of his cousin Khedrub Gyatso, the Chinese government has placed many relatives and associates—mainly Ven.Zega Gyatso himself—under surveillance and suspicion. They have faced frequent harassment, including interrogations and warnings regarding alleged external contacts, as well as being summoned to the police station at irregular intervals.
Ven. Zega Gyatso is currently 48 years old and the eldest of six siblings- three sons and three daughters—born to his father Sowang and mother Tashi. He came to India in 2002 and studied at Sera Je Monastery in southern India for a year. The following year in 2003, he returned to Tibet and pursued further education at Ragya School. Prior to his arrest, he worked as a teacher at the Leksheling Five Sciences School in Tsang Monastery. Ven. Zega Gyatso is from Sog county, Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture.
