Runggye Adak (also Rongye Adak, Runggye Adrak, etc.) is a Tibetan man who was arrested and charged with state subversion against the

People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

after making a series of public political statements at a festival in eastern Tibet, on August 1, 2007. Runggye Adak, said to be a respected local figure and the father of eleven, is a native of Yonru Kharshul, a village near

Lithang Litang may refer to: * Litang or Lithang County (理塘县) in Sichuan/Kham Kham (; ) is one of the three traditional Tibet, Tibetan regions, the others being Domey also known as Amdo in the northeast, and Ü-Tsang in central Tibet. The officia ...

in the predominantly Tibetan region of

Kham Kham (; ) is one of the three traditional Tibet, Tibetan regions, the others being Domey also known as Amdo in the northeast, and Ü-Tsang in central Tibet. The official name of this Tibetan region/province is Dotoe (). The original residents of ...

. He seized the microphone during a speech at a horse-racing festival in Lithang, and proceeded to call for the return of the

Dalai Lama The Dalai Lama (, ; ) is the head of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. The term is part of the full title "Holiness Knowing Everything Vajradhara Dalai Lama" (圣识一切瓦齐尔达喇达赖喇嘛) given by Altan Khan, the first Shu ...

and the release of

Gedhun Choekyi Nyima Gedhun Choekyi Nyima (born 25 April 1989) is the 11th Panchen Lama belonging to the Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism, as recognized and announced by the 14th Dalai Lama on 14 May 1995. Three days later, on 17 May, the six-year-old Panchen Lam ...

, the present Dalai Lama's candidate for

Panchen Lama The Panchen Lama () is a tulku of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. The Panchen Lama is one of the most important figures in the Gelug tradition, with its spiritual authority second only to the Dalai Lama. Along with the council of high la ...

, and of Tenzin Delek, a lama from Lithang who was sentenced to life in prison for alleged involvement in terrorism, and the independence of Tibet. Runggye Adak was detained shortly thereafter. A spontaneous protest of local people demanding his release lasted several days before being dispersed under threat by riot police. The Associated Press reported that scores of people were arrested in the aftermath of Runggye Adak's protest. Three of Runggye Adak's nephews were arrested, with police attention focusing on Adruk Lopoe, a monk at Lithang Monastery. On August 27, prosecutors charged Runggye Adak with "provocation to subvert state power." On 29 October 2007 he was indicted by the Kardze Intermediate People's Court on four counts of 'crimes' ranging from disruption of law and order to state subversion and subsequently (on 20 November) sentenced to eight years of imprisonment with deprivation of political rights for four years. He was released in July 2015 after serving his sentence in full.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Adak, Runggye Living people Chinese prisoners and detainees Prisoners and detainees of the People's Republic of China Tibetan activists Year of birth missing (living people)

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