Tibetan protests: China holds monk for inciting immolation
Exiled groups deny encouraging self-immolations
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Chinese authorities have arrested a monk and his nephew for inciting self-immolation protests in Sichuan province, state media says.
Xinhua reported that the monk confessed to encouraging and publicising the protests, under orders from exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.
Exiled Tibetans said the confession was forced and denied any involvement.
A recent legal ruling stipulated anyone aiding immolations would be charged with murder.
Dozens of Tibetans have set fire to themselves in protest against the Communist Party's rule since 2009. Many have died.
The authorities have periodically launched crackdowns, rounded up suspects, locked down monasteries and subjected monks to political re-education.
But protests have continued in Tibetan communities in Sichuan, Tibet, Gansu and Qinghai.
Most recently, activists reported two separate immolations on Saturday in Tibet, with one monk dying of his injuries.
Continue reading the main story The Tibet Divide China says Tibet has always been part of its territory
Tibet had long periods of autonomy
China launched a military assault in 1950
Opposition to Chinese rule led to a bloody uprising in 1959
Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, fled to India
Dalai Lama now advocates a "middle way" with Beijing, seeking autonomy but not independence
On Sunday, Xinhua quoted a police statement saying 40-year-old monk Lorang Konchok had encouraged eight people to set themselves on fire since 2009.
The report says he and his nephew recorded details of the protesters, gathered photographs, and passed them on to exiled groups in India.
Loran Konchok was based at the Kirti monastery in Aba prefecture, which has been a focal point for self-immolations.
The Tibetan government-in-exile, based in the Indian town of Dharmsala, denied accusations of involvement by its representatives or the Dalai Lama.
"We believe [the suspects] have been forced to make these confessions," spokesman Lobsang Choedak said.
"We would welcome the Chinese government investigating whether we are instigating these immolations."
The arrests follow a ruling by China's top courts, reported in a commentary in the party's Gannan Daily newspaper, that increased punishments for anyone suspected of encouraging the protests.
"The opinion makes clear that those criminals who act as principal culprits behind the scenes to organise, direct, and plot as well as those who actively participate in inciting, coercing, enticing, abetting, or assisting others to carry out self-immolations, will be held criminally liable for intentional homicide," the paper said, according to a translation on the Dui Hua website.
In three separate cases in Tibet, three people have died in the past two days after they set themselves on fire in protest of Chinese occupation of Tibet. 

Yesterday, Pema Dorje, 23, and Kunchok Phelgye, 24, died after they set themselves on fire in front of monasteries in northeastern and eastern Tibet. Then today, Bhenchen Kyi, 17, died after she set herself on fire in the Tsekhog,  region.

The deaths are described as s, where a person or persons set themselves on fire as a form of protest, often resulting in death. The first Tibetan reported case happened in 2009 when a monk named '' set himself on fire in . He survived the incident. Since then, reportedly at least 95 people have attempted self-immolation, 28 of those in November of this year.

Authorities say the self-immolations may be incited and as a result, have arrested two men believed to be connected to the cases. Today, Chinese authorities announced the arrests of Lorang Konchok, 40, and his nephew Lorang Tsering, 31, who were arrested in August. Konchok is a  working at a monastery in . In a confession Konchol claims he was working on orders from the  and his followers. He also says he recruited Tsering to help instigate the incidents, telling potential individuals they would be "heroes" if they went through with the immolation. Authorities say the two men were attempting to persuade more people to go through with the immolations, but those people backed out after police, family members, and government officials intervened.

Lobsang Choedak, a spokesperson for the Tibetan government in exile in , denies the allegations against Konchok and Tsering saying, "We believe the suspects have been forced to make these confessions. We would welcome the Chinese government investigating whether we are instigating these immolations."