Dharamshala — According to sources from the region, political prisoner Lodroe, who was arrested in 2008 after the protests in Lhasa, has been released from prison after serving a ten year sentence.
According to a source speaking on the condition of anonymity, "Lodroe, a monk from Dza Wonpo monastery, was one of 15 monks arrested after carrying Tibetan flags and calling for freedom at 5 pm on March 10, 2008 in the center of Lhasa in accordance with Tibetan National Uprising Day.
"Of the 15 monks, eight were from Dza Wonpo monastery, one from Mange monastery, one from Kashi monastery and five from Lunka monastery.
"Monks Lobsang Ngodrup and Sopa were both sentenced to serve five years each in prison, and Lodroe was sentenced to serve ten years. While they have all been released, two other monks, Sonam Drakpa and Dashar were also sentenced ten years and have yet to be released."
Due to restrictions and limited information in the region, Lodroe's health and wellness after release remains unclear.
The Chinese Communist (PRC( regime began their invasion of Tibet in 1949 with total occupation of the country occurring in 1959. Since that time, more than 1.2 million people, 20% of the nation's population of six million, have died as a direct result of China's invasion and occupation. In addition, over 99% of Tibet's six thousand religious monasteries, temples, and shrines, have been looted or decimated resulting in the destruction of hundreds of thousands of sacred Buddhist scriptures.