More details have emerged of the death of a Tibetan monk from injuries he is reported to have sustained while being tortured as a prisoner in a jail in Lhasa.

The Indian-based Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy said the monk, Ngawang Jinpa, died at home in May, two months after his release on medical grounds. He had served three years of a twelve-year sentence for counter-revolutionary activities.

Meanwhile, an international organisation, Human Rights Watch, has accused the Chinese police of jailing , torturing and harassing Tibetans living in provinces neighbouring their homeland. The organisation said Tibetans had been punished for putting up posters calling on China to leave Tibet, and for sending letters to Tibetan prisoners.

Human rights activists and Tibetan exiles have criticised the media tycoon, Rupert Murdoch, for comments in which he condoned China's presence in Tibet and dismissed allegations of human rights abuses. Mr Murdoch's company, News Corporation, has television interests in China.