Ladakh Activist Sonam Wangchuk Released After 6 Months
Sonam Wangchuk, a prominent Ladakh activist, has been released from jail after serving a 6-month sentence for demanding statehood or constitutional protections for Ladakh's tribal communities.
Sonam Wangchuk, a renowned civil rights activist from Ladakh, has been released from jail after serving a six-month sentence. Wangchuk was arrested in September 2022 for demanding either Ladakh's full statehood or constitutional protections for the region's tribal communities.
Wangchuk's imprisonment sparked outrage among human rights advocates and the local Ladakhi community, who viewed it as an attack on free speech and the right to peaceful protest. The activist's supporters argued that his calls for greater autonomy and safeguards for Ladakh's unique cultural and environmental heritage were legitimate and necessary in the face of increasing centralization of power by the Indian government.
Despite his release, Wangchuk remains defiant, vowing to continue his fight for Ladakh's rights. In a statement, he said,
Source: Al Jazeera
