China detains about 80 Tibetans after protest against illegal gold mining in Kardze

Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], December 18 : Chinese officials in Kashi village, Kham Zachuka, Sershul County, Kardze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, arrested about 80 Tibetans following a protest against illegal gold mining operations, with seven individuals still unaccounted for, according to a report by Phayul.
This information was announced by Tempa Gyaltsen Zamlha, Deputy Director and environmental researcher at the Tibet Policy Institute (TPI), during a press conference on Tuesday in Dharamshala.
The detentions occurred on November 6 at around 6:50 pm after local Tibetans confronted the miners and informed township authorities about gold extraction that had been discovered the previous day, November 5, at 2:11 pm, in an area locally known as Serkhok (Gold Valley), as reported by Phayul.
Following the confrontation, Chinese authorities initiated what residents described as "systematic, door-to-door arrests" in Kashi village.
Those apprehended were reportedly taken to Sershul County for questioning. The arrests were marked by a communications blackout, increased security presence and strict limitations on movement throughout the region.
Shortly after the arrests began, officials reportedly held a meeting warning residents against discussing the incident, insisting that it must "never be leaked to higher levels or to the outside world," and that any breach would be treated as a serious "criminal offence."
Security forces are said to have entered homes, seized mobile phones and conducted intrusive searches. Armed police and military personnel were reportedly deployed across roads and public areas, detaining people even for perceived dissent related to the mining operations, as highlighted in the Phayul report.
Zamlha conveyed that locals have described the situation in Kashi township as "extremely tense," with villagers expressing deep concern for the safety of their detained family members amid ongoing arrests, movement restrictions and communication limitations.
Zamlha also relayed claims of severe mistreatment of detainees during questioning.
According to these claims, detainees were allegedly deprived of sleep and access to restrooms and were fed only minimal amounts of food, cold tsampa (barley) mixed with water, once a day.
Some detainees reportedly suffered broken ribs, developed kidney-related illnesses due to severe beatings and torture in detention centres, or experienced significant physical and psychological trauma following intense interrogations, as noted in the Phayul report.
Surveillance measures reportedly intensified significantly in the aftermath of the incident, with cameras, recording devices and monitoring equipment installed in numerous homes.
Medical examinations were said to have been conducted at the Sershul County hospital, although complete test results were not shared with the detainees.
Elderly residents were also reportedly detained, had their phone records meticulously examined and were warned against sharing information before being sent home.
Some were later summoned again for so-called "re-education" sessions, during which their mobile devices were manually inspected to track the flow of information, the Phayul report emphasised.