A Chinese court in Tibet sent 17 people to prison for taking part at the demonstrations that turned violent last month in Lhasa, the region’s capital.

According to the Chinese state media, the terms of the people convicted ranged from three years to life sentence. The sentences were announced by the Intermediate People's Court of Lhasa during an open session, according to Xinhua News Agency. About 200 people attended the trial. Among them there were Buddhist monks, medical workers and "masses from all walks of life", as the state television put it.

The Tibetan demonstrations which gradually turned into violent riots led to the killing of at least 19 demonstrators, according to the Chinese authorities, or nearly 100, according to the Tibetan exiles. 

During the same day, authorities announced the reopening of the Sera Monastery, the first Tibetan monastery which closed after the Lhasa riots.

"Monks have been taught legal knowledge in recent days and the monastery has resumed normal religious activities," said Tenzin Namgyal, deputy director of the Tibet Autonomous Regional Ethnic and Religious Affairs Committee, according to Xinhua.

Authorities said other monasteries will reopen soon.

The Tibetan protesters began the largest unrest that took place in China over the past two decades on March 10, the anniversary of a failed 1959 uprising against Chinese rule.

The Buddhist monk-led protests spread in other neighboring areas such as Nepal and India. Tension reached high levels as the demonstrators set police cars and shops on fire.

The Chinese armed troops surrounded the city’s most important monasteries (Sera, Drepung and Ganden) and the sacred Jokhang temple as well. After closing the monasteries, the Chinese police investigated which monks had been involved in the protests.