Head Lama Tulku Palden Wangyal Dies in Custody at 53

Tulku Palden Wangyal, the Head Lama of the Choegyal Monasteries in Gonjo County, has died in custody at the age of 53 after years of imprisonment and torture, according to reliable sources to CTA. He was widely respected for promoting Tibetan unity, culture, and identity, but his influence drew suspicion from Chinese authorities. Arrested nearly eight years ago, he was transferred between prisons in Gonjo, Chamdo, Lhasa, and later Gansu, where conditions reportedly worsened. His death on 19 July has caused deep sorrow among the monasteries he led and raised concerns over Tibet’s lack of freedoms.