DHARAMSHALA: An influential Tibetan spiritual teacher, Khenpo Kartse, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison following a secret trial by a Chinese court. The verdict came after almost a year since his arrest in December 2013.

The trial was held “two to three months ago in a local court in Chamdo Prefecture,” a source from the region told contacts in India, who in turn told media persons.

Khenpo Kartse was charged at first for allegedly “harming state security” by the Chinese authorities. He was later falsely accused of harbouring another Tibetan monk — allegedly involved in an “unlawful” incident.

Kartse’s lawyer, Tang Tianhao, was also pressured by the government to withdraw from the case. He was allowed to meet Kartse only twice during the trial.

Kartse’s family was later forced to turn to a local attorney for support.

Khenpo Kartse is the abbot of Jahpa monastery in Nangchen county, and was arrested during a night raid in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, on 6 December. He was in the city for some work related to the monastery at the time.

Thousands of Tibetans have rallied for his release at the time of his detention.