DHARAMSALA: A Tibetan singer and activist has been detained by Chinese authorities, according to the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA).
The India-based exile government reported that Tzukte, known as Asang, was arrested in early July after performing a song honouring the Dalai Lama.
The CTA, which operates as a government-in-exile without international recognition, condemned the arrest as part of China’s “broader campaign to suppress Tibetan voices, especially artists and writers.”
China maintains strict control over Tibet, which it considers an inseparable part of its territory.
Asang, a student of the well-known Tibetan singer Gebe, had previously drawn attention for publicly displaying the word “Tibet” on his forehead in Sichuan province.
The act gained online support but also increased official scrutiny.
“His detention, without charge or information on his whereabouts, violates international human rights norms and underscores China’s ongoing assault on freedom of expression, cultural rights, and religious belief in Tibet,“ the CTA stated.
Chinese authorities have not commented on the arrest.
Rights groups have long criticised Beijing’s policies in Tibet, accusing it of erasing cultural and religious identity. – AFP
