February 6, 2004
Source: Manorama Online
On February 6, 2004 Manorama Online reported, "A Chinese court has sentenced three Tibetan monks to 12 years in jail for possessing photographs of the Dalai Lama and painting a Tibetan flag, a British-based expert on the Himalayan region said on Thursday. Many Tibetans are devout Buddhists and possess pictures of their [spiritual leader], the Dalai Lama, in defiance of a Chinese ban...A court official in Sichuan, which borders the main Tibet region confirmed the conviction of the three monks last year, but declined to provide details. Two other monks await sentencing, including one who is ill and in hospital, Saunders said."