Runggye Adak (also Rongye Adak, Runggye Adrak, etc.) is a

Tibetan Tibetan may mean: * of, from, or related to Tibet * Tibetan people, an ethnic group * Tibetan language: ** Classical Tibetan, the classical language used also as a contemporary written standard ** Standard Tibetan, the most widely used spoken dial ...

man who was arrested and charged with state subversion against the

People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

after making a series of public political statements at a festival in eastern Tibet, on August 1, 2007. Runggye Adak, said to be a respected local figure and the father of eleven, is a native of Yonru Kharshul, a village near

Lithang Litang (; ) is in southwest of Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan, China. Litang is part of Kham in the Tibetan cultural zone, and several famous Buddhist figures were born here, including the 7th Dalai Lama, the 10th Dalai Lama, the ...

in the predominantly Tibetan region of

Kham Kham (; ) is one of the three traditional Tibetan regions, the others being Amdo in the northeast, and Ü-Tsang in central Tibet. The original residents of Kham are called Khampas (), and were governed locally by chieftains and monasteries. Kham ...

. He seized the microphone during a speech at a horse-racing festival in Lithang, and proceeded to call for the return of the

Dalai Lama Dalai Lama (, ; ) is a title given by the Tibetan people to the foremost spiritual leader of the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" school of Tibetan Buddhism, the newest and most dominant of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The 14th and current Dal ...

and the release of

Gedhun Choekyi Nyima Gedhun Choekyi Nyima (born 25 April 1989) is the Dalai Lama appointed 11th Panchen Lama belonging to the Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism. The Central Government of China rejected such appointment. The 14th Dalai Lama recognized and announc ...

, the present Dalai Lama's candidate for

Panchen Lama The Panchen Lama () is a tulku of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. Panchen Lama is one of the most important figures in the Gelug tradition, with its spiritual authority second only to Dalai Lama. Along with the council of high lamas, he ...

, and of

Tenzin Delek Lithang Tulku Tenzin Delek Rinpoche or Tenzing Deleg () (1950 – 2015) was a Tibetan Buddhist leader from Garze, Sichuan. He is also known for working to develop social, medical, educational and religious institutions for Tibetan nomads in eas ...

, a lama from Lithang who was sentenced to life in prison for alleged involvement in terrorism, and the independence of Tibet. Runggye Adak was detained shortly thereafter. A spontaneous protest of local people demanding his release lasted several days before being dispersed under threat by riot police. The Associated Press reported that scores of people were arrested in the aftermath of Runggye Adak's protest. Three of Runggye Adak's nephews were arrested, with police attention focusing on Adruk Lopoe, a monk at

Lithang Monastery Litang (; ) is in southwest of Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan, China. Litang is part of Kham in the Tibetan cultural zone, and several famous Buddhist figures were born here, including the 7th Dalai Lama, the 10th Dalai Lama, th ...

. On August 27, prosecutors charged Runggye Adak with "provocation to subvert state power." On 29 October 2007 he was indicted by the Kardze Intermediate People's Court on four counts of 'crimes' ranging from disruption of law and order to state subversion and subsequently (on 20 November) sentenced to eight years of imprisonment with deprivation of political rights for four years. He was released in July 2015 after serving his sentence in full.

References

External links

Support Runggye AdakTake Action for Runggye Adak
{{DEFAULTSORT:Adak, Runggye Living people Chinese prisoners and detainees Prisoners and detainees of the People's Republic of China Tibetan activists Year of birth missing (living people)

See also

References

External links