Tenzin Delek Rinpoche (丹增德勒仁波切) was a Tibetan Buddhist monk and community leader who died in prison on July 12, 2015 while serving a life sentence.
Human Rights Watch documented his work building schools, a monastery and an orphanage and criticized the fairness of the proceedings that led to his conviction. During thirteen years in detention, credible reports repeatedly raised concerns about deteriorating health, limited family access and medical care. His family applied for medical parole in 2014.
After prison authorities informed his family of his death, his body was not returned to them for the funeral rites they requested. Human Rights Watch called for an independent investigation into the death. No independent medical cause or autopsy finding is publicly established in the sources reviewed.
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