Tibet People's Broadcasting Station, Lhasa, in Standard Chinese 1400 gmt 26 Dec 96

After a careful investigation, a national security organ in Xigaze [Shigatse] Prefecture recently discovered an espionage case, in which a spy, Ngawang Choephel, who was sent by the Dalai clique with financial support of a certain foreign country, was arrested. The organ discovered evidence which showed that Ngawang Choephel had carried out espionage activities. Ngawang Choephel, male, Tibetan nationality, is a native of Zanda County, Ngari Prefecture. He is now 30 years old. Before his arrest, he was a dance teacher for a dance troupe under the Dalai clique's government in exile.

In July 1995, Ngawang Choephel, who was sent by the Dalai clique with expenditures and equipment provided by a certain foreign country, entered Tibet to carry out his activities under the pretext of collecting information on folk songs and dances in Tibet. During his stay in Tibet, Ngawang Choephel, following his intelligence collecting programme, went to Lhasa, Shannan, Nyingchi and Xigaze to carry out his espionage activities, in an attempt to provide the information gathered to the Dalai clique's government in exile and to an organization of a certain foreign country.

Ngawang Choephel confessed the above mentioned activities.

In accordance with the Criminal Law of the PRC, the State Security Law of the PRC, and the Implementing Regulations of the State Security Law of the PRC, the Intermediate People's Court of Xigaze Prefecture sentenced Ngawang Choephel to an 18-year prison term for committing espionage crime, with a four-year deprivation of political rights.