Monks were arrested on charges of inserting 'tacit political messages' in their monastery's newsletter.

Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) – China's communist authorities have jailed five Tibetan monks after accusing them of publishing political messages in a monastery newsletter.

The monks—Gen Tashi Gyaltsen, Tsultrim Phelgyal, Tsesum Samten, Jhamphel Gyatso and Lobsang Thargyal—are from Dakar Treldzong monastery, in Tsolho, Qinghai province (western China). The monks were accused of publishing poems and articles praising three jailed monks from the same monastery.

The authorities claimed that the poems contained "tacit political messages" but failed to give any other details about why the five were sentenced.

Communist China is very concerned about political agitation inside monasteries which have historical been the heart of Tibet's Buddhist society.

For the past 50 years, China has tried to crush pro-independence sentiment among Tibetans claiming that Tibet has been part of China for centuries.

Tibetans argue that they were independent when Chinese communist troops marched into the Himalayan territory in 1950.

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