China tightens grip on Tibetan monk after prison release, report highlights ongoing religious crackdown

Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India] February 18 (ANI): A Tibetan monk from Kirti Monastery continues to face intrusive state monitoring even after being released early from prison, highlighting what rights groups describe as China's sustained repression of religious freedom in Tibet, as reported by Phayul.
According to Phayul, Trinley Gyatso, a monk from Ngaba (Chinese: Aba) in northeastern Tibet, was freed in November 2025 before completing his five-year sentence. Chinese authorities reportedly justified the early release on the basis of "good conduct" during his incarceration.
However, instead of resuming normal monastic life, the monk has effectively been placed under house surveillance, with his movements and interactions closely watched, which has made his life miserable. Gyatso was taken into custody on July 1, 2021, on accusations of circulating written materials containing teachings of The Dalai Lama, who remains a banned figure in China.
Following extended detention and interrogation, during which his family allegedly received little information about his legal status, a Chinese court sentenced him to five years in prison.
He served his sentence in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province. Advocacy sources have been unable to independently verify details regarding his current health condition, raising concerns about his well-being under continued restrictions.
Adding to the hardship, Gyatso's father reportedly passed away from illness several months before his release, denying the family an opportunity for reunion after years of separation. The emotional toll of imprisonment and surveillance, observers say, continues to affect families in Tibetan regions, as cited by Phayul.
Originally from Meruma (Mai'erma) in Ngaba County, part of the Ngaba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Gyatso had been engaged in advanced Buddhist studies at Kirti Monastery prior to his arrest. He had previously faced repeated questioning and short-term detentions over alleged political suspicions by Chinese authorities, as reported by Phayul. (ANI)