China has released a total of 1,157 people who were involved in riots in the Tibetan capital Lhasa in March, China's official news agency has reported quoting a senior Tibetan official. They had been detained for minor offences connected with the unrest, Tibet vice chairman Palma Trily told a press conference in Lhasa. The announcement came on the eve of a shortened one-day Tibetan leg of the Olympic torch relay. Another 116 people were in custody awaiting trial, he said. The brief report did not announce what sentences they received but the official said a total of 42 people had now been punished over the unrest. He said a total of 1,315 people had been arrested or turned themselves after the riots. Amnesty International welcomed the news of the releases, which came a day after it urged China to reveal what happened to those detained.