Dharamsala, March 17 (IANS): Human rights activist Cao Shunli died in a Chinese military hospital, a human rights watchdog said Monday.

It said Shunli died March 14 and only her family was allowed to view her body.

A post on the official website of Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), based here, quoting the victim's brother Cao Yunli saying he could not take a second look at his sister's body that showed signs of mistreatment during approximately five-and-a-half months in detention.

"Cao Shunli's death illustrates that arbitrary detention, torture and death in detention are prevalent throughout the People's Republic of China and not limited to Tibet and ethnic and religious minorities," TCHRD executive director Tsering Tsomo said.

The Dalai Lama fled Tibet after a failed uprising against Chinese communist rule in 1959.

Around 140,000 Tibetans now live in exile, with over 100,000 of them in different parts of India. Over six million Tibetans live in Tibet. The government-in-exile, based here, is not recognised by any country.