The Tibet Post

Dharamshala: According to reliable information received today by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), a Tibetan monk from Drepung Monastery has died from torture in a Chinese detention center, Lhasa. He is alleged to have died in August 2009.

The monk was identified as Kalden, 32, from village No.8, Tso-doe Township, Phenpo Lhundup County, Lhasa Municipality City, "Tibet Autonomous Region" ("TAR").

In 10 March 2008 Kalden, along with 300 monks from Drepung Monastery, participated in a march where they intended to protest in the Lhasa's city centre against the Chinese government, when they were stopped and arrested by Chinese security forces. He was one of many monks arrested on that day.

Since his arrest on 10 March 2008 till present time, his whereabouts has remained unknown. No one, including his relatives and monks from Drepung Monastery, were informed of his detention in

According to multiple sources he died in a detention centre in mid-August 2009, due to prolonged period of confinement, torture and maltreatment. His corpse was handed over to his distant relative in Lhasa City in mid-Aug 2009.

According to the same sources, his elder monk brother, Samdup from Drepung Monastery was also arrested by Lhasa Public Security Bureau (PSB) on the 10 March 2008. Samdup's whereabouts also remains unknown.