According to reports Kelsang Thutob, a Tibetan monk, died on 5 July 1996 in Drapchi prison, Lhasa. A prisoner of conscience, he had been imprisoned since April 1989 when he was detained for allegedly trying to flee the country. He is believed to have been suffering from poor health and high-blood pressure prior to his death, for which he had not received medical treatment. There is further concern that he may have been ill-treated in detention. Nine other monks from Drepung Monastery were sentenced at the same time and have also been adopted as prisoners of conscience. There is also concern at the unacknowledged detention without charge or trial of Ngawang Choephel, a 30-year-old exile, who is thought to have been detained last year after travelling to Tibet to make a film documentary about traditional performing arts.
