Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], July 23 (ANI): Chinese pro-democracy activist and former 1989 Tiananmen student leader Zhang Yi has been placed under criminal detention by Chinese state security authorities in Lhasa after allegedly showing a photograph of the Dalai Lama on his mobile phone to a Tibetan devotee at Sera Monastery, Phayul reported, citing the Weiquanwang Information Centre.

According to Phayul, the incident took place on July 1, the day China’s “Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress" came into effect. Rights groups and Zhang’s family have expressed concern that the veteran activist may have been targeted under the newly implemented legislation.

Zhang, a human rights activist from Wuhan, had travelled to Lhasa with his younger brother, Zhang Xuan.

While visiting Sera Monastery, one of Tibetan Buddhism’s major Gelug monasteries, Zhang reportedly tried to borrow a prayer rug.

During the interaction, he is said to have shown a photograp...