On his arrival on 13th July 2002 at Washington D.C, Takna Jigme Sangpo holds the Picture of His Holiness over his head (see picture). This act of Respect in chinese occupied Tibet would not be tolerarted at all.

On 30th March 2002, Takna Jigme Sangpo, the longest serving political prisoner who spent almost 40 years of his life in prison, was released on Medical Parole. China permitted Takna to leave Tibet in July 2002 to get medical treatment in the United States. This concerns a highly uncommon Step taken by the chinese since China never lets long-term political prisoners to leave Tibet

A statement issued by Takna after arriving in the United States confirms the international pressure which resulted in his release. "My release on medical parole and my arrival in the United States shows the victory of Peace, Justice and Human Rights. It is also a Result of many years of Campaigns, the pressure from the Tibet Support Groups, the Governments and International Organisations who strived inside and outside Tibet.

Takna on 08.08.2003

Takna was arrested and tortured in chinese Prison and Labourcamps for almost 40 years because he opposed peacefully against the Chinese occupation. He was the most determined and unyielding political prisoner in Drapchi.

Takna (Tigernose) Jigme Sangpo worked as a Primary school Teacher in Lhasa. In 1960, at the age of 32, he was initially arrested on charges of corrupting the minds of childrens with revolutionary ideas. In 1970, he was sentenced to Labour camps for instigating the flight of his Niece to India. Later detained for putting up independent Posters in Lhasa, in November 1993, he was sentenced for the third time to 15 years of imprisonment on the base of counter revolutionary Progapanda.

Undeterred, in 1991, he shouted "Free Tibet" during a Swiss delegation prison visit to the Drapchi Prison. Takna Jigme Sangpo was thereafter severly beaten by the Security Personals and was sentenced to further 8 years of imprisonment. During his imprisonment, he was severly tortured with electrical rods. He was also imprisoned in isolation with hands and foots chained to the Walls.

Sources : Tibet Initiative Deutschland