China has sentenced a Tibetan spiritual teacher to a two year and six months prison term in Chamdo, Tibetan Autonomous Region for allegedly harming state security.
Khenpo Karma Tsewang, also known as Khenpo Kartse, who is the abbot of Jahpa monastery in Nangchen County, was arrested last year on the night of December 6 in Chengdu, Capital of Sichuan Province.
Following Khenpo's arrest, the local authorities arrested sixteen more Tibetans for being involved in a protest demanding Khenpo's release on December 21, 2014.
Khenpo Karten, former abbot of Jahpa monastery who resides in California tells VOA's Tibetan Service that Khenpo Kartse is well respected among Tibetans for his work towards promoting and preserving Tibetan culture, language, religion, and environment.