The Tibetan monk Lobsang Konchok lies on the floor partly clothed and smouldering. Armed Chinese police stand sternly behind him and do not assist him. The video cuts when an officer approaches the camera and says in Chinese "no filming". The fire was put out with extinguisher, the white residue covers him. The video was smuggled out of China annonymously out of fear of punishment by the authorities, and released a week ago.

The monk was at Kirti Monastry in Sichuan province, Aba prefecture. He was protesting the brutal Chinese occupation of Tibet and repression of the people which has lasted over 50 years. At least 10 Tibetan monks and nuns have set themselves on fire recently, with half of them dying.