Tibetan Dies in First 2013 Immolation Protest

Posted January 12th, 2013 at 10:35 am (UTC-5)
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A Tibetan man has died after setting himself on fire Saturday to protest Chinese rule in ethnic Tibetan areas.

The man, named Tsebey, was in his early twenties. Authorities say he died at the protest site in the Sangchu region of eastern Tibet.

Tibetan activists say it was the first self-immolation of 2013.

Since 2009, more than 90 Tibetans have died by self-immolation in continuing protests against Chinese rule over Tibet. Such action has increased in recent months, and activists have staged several anti-China rallies in Tibet, despite a heavy Chinese security presence.

Beijing contends Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has incited the self-immolations to promote Tibetan separatism. The Dalai Lama says he has done nothing to encourage such suicidal protests.