Today, 17 days after he was detained, Pema Tseden released a short statement on his Weibo page concerning his current situation and condition. As I write this blog, his post has been shared over 500 times across Weibo alone. Below I provide a translation of his post. You can also find the original Mandarin and Tibetan versions of his statement at the end of this blog.

(This translation is my own. While I have made every effort to remain faithful to the original text, I am not a professional translator. Please get in touch if you feel that any particular section needs attention or have any suggestions for improvement! All images are from the original Weibo post)

I am now at a government-designated hospital. Everyday I am receiving oxygen, IV, and other kinds of treatments, and my condition has improved to some extent. Because of the special situation at present, it is not convenient for me to respond to everyone’s messages. Regarding this incident, the relevant authorities are in the process of carrying out an investigation once more. It has already 17 days since the incident happened. From the beginning until now, my request has been very simple: I need an explanation. Even if I have to return to detention in the future, this request will not change. I hope for a reasonable explanation as soon as possible. Many thanks to everyone for their concern.