HONG KONG — The death of a Tibetan spiritual leader in a Chinese jail has led to a violent protest by Tibetans demanding the return of his body to his family, according to news reports and an advocacy group.
Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, one of the most prominent Tibetan spiritual leaders to be imprisoned by the Chinese authorities, was serving a 20-year sentence in Sichuan Province after he was convicted of a series of bombings in the provincial capital, Chengdu, in 2002.
The monk’s family learned of his death on Sunday. The next day, thousands gathered to mourn at a government office in Yajiang County in western Sichuan, according to a statement by Free Tibet, an advocacy group based in London.
The police fired shots into the air, used tear gas and beat protesters to disperse the crowds, the group said, and at least 23 people were sent to a hospital for treatment on Monday.
The protesters demanded that the Chinese authorities hand over the monk’s body to the family for funeral rites, the group said.
Radio Free Asia, a news service based in Washington and funded by the United States government, also reported the confrontation, citing Tibetan sources in the region and in exile.
Family members could not be reached for comment on Tuesday, and calls to the prison where Tenzin Delek was held went unanswered.
Tenzin Delek, whose co-defendant was executed in 2003, maintained he was innocent and continued to be revered widely while in prison.
Earlier, he built monasteries, clinics and schools, and lived in Yajiang County, according to a report by Human Rights Watch from 2004.
In a statement on Monday, the State Department said it hoped China would investigate the death of Tenzin Delek.
“We urge Chinese authorities to return his body to his family or to his monastery so that customary religious rituals can be properly performed,” the department said in a statement.
