A Tibetan monk and teacher of traditional monastic dance (Cham) from the Tibetan area of Amdo has been sentenced to four years in prison after he gave talks about Tibetan culture and history. Gendun, who is in his thirties, was detained in February 2005, with more than 20 monks, students and teachers also detained in connection with his case. While the other Tibetans detained at the same time appear to have been released soon afterwards, Gendun was tried and sentenced in January (2006). The formal charges are not yet known, but according to reports from the area, Gendun's imprisonment was linked to his popularity and influence in the local community as a speaker on issues relating to the importance of Tibetan culture.