Runggye Adak, 54, is a Tibetan nomad from Lithang, Kham (Ch: Sichuan) who was detained August 1 2007 after calling for the Dalai Lama%u2019s return to Tibet. Adak stepped on stage at a Chinese government function commemorating the 80th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army and spoke to a crowd of several thousand Tibetans who had gathered for the annual Lithang horse-racing festival. Before he was detained, he also called for the release of the Panchen Lama and Tenzin Delek Rinpoche. Visit
SFT's Runggye Adak Action Center. Runggye Adak was later sentenced to eight years for "provocation to subvert state power." Adak's nephew, Adak Lupoe, a senior monk from Lithang monastery, received sentence of ten years, and Tibetan art teacher and musician Kunkhyen one of nine years, both for attempting to provide pictures and information to 'overseas organizations' which were judged to 'endanger national security'. A fourth Tibetan, Jarib Lothog, was sentenced to three years linked to the same case.
An eyewitness described the protest to the International Campaign for Tibet:
"It all happened so fast - Runggye Adak just came onstage and started speaking. Although his voice did not carry very far, because it could have been that they switched the microphone off, I could see Tibetans nodding their heads about what he was saying about the Dalai Lama and freedom. Quite a few people were cheering him. Then a few men came up onto the stage, and it seemed to me that they could have been Tibetans trying to help him, trying to get him offstage so he wouldn%u2019t be in more trouble. But then uniformed officers arrived and I could see them moving through the crowd quickly towards the stage. Many Tibetans tried to block their way to prevent him reaching Runggye Adak, but they had no chance. Quite a lot of people followed him when they took him away, and other people around me were saying how scared they were about his fate."
For further information:
Reports and background information on Runggye Adak's case
Other Tibetans arrested with Runggye Adak (photos of Kunkhyen and Adak Lupoe)
Human Rights Watch appeal for Runggy Adak's release
Open letter from Adak%u2019s son and nephew calling for his release
Report of Lithang protest (photos)
