Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Feb. 9: Tibetan environmental rights defender and anti-corruption whistleblower A-Nya Sengdra has been released from a Chinese prison after completing a seven-year sentence, according to multiple sources. He was freed on February 8 and has since returned to his family home in Rakyang Village, Gade County, Golog, in eastern Tibet. However, details regarding his health condition and freedom of movement remain unclear.
Although A-Nya Sengdra’s original prison term was due to end in September 2025, Chinese authorities accused him of committing alleged violations while in custody and extended his detention until February 2026. His release this week follows that extension.
A-Nya Sengdra, now 55 years old, is widely known for exposing corruption, abuse of power, illegal mining, and environmental destruction in his region. Through grassroots advocacy, he challenged local officials over the embezzlement of public welfare and relief funds, unlawful extraction of natural resources, discrimination, and neglect of impoverished Tibetan communities. His actions earned him strong support among local nomadic populations but also made him a target of state repression.
He was first detained in 2014 and sentenced to one year and three months in prison, from which he was released in October 2016. In 2018, Chinese authorities again detained him on charges related to “disrupting social stability.” In December 2019, he was sentenced to seven years in prison on charges including inciting disturbances and organizing gatherings that disrupted social order.
Following news of his release, Students for a Free Tibet (SFT), which has long campaigned for his freedom, released a short video statement welcoming his release while emphasizing that it should not be viewed as a positive development in itself. SFT stated that A-Nya Sengdra should never have been imprisoned and that his case is not an isolated incident, but rather reflects the broader reality faced by Tibetans under Chinese rule. The organization said it would continue to monitor his situation closely and amplify the voices of Tibetans inside Tibet.
Over the years, UN Special Rapporteurs, international Tibet advocacy groups, and Tibetan governmental and non-governmental organizations have repeatedly called on the Chinese government to ensure A-Nya Sengdra’s right to a fair trial and to release him unconditionally.
In recognition of his courage and principled resistance, A-Nya Sengdra has received several international honours. On July 30 last year, during the 31st anniversary of Students for a Free Tibet in New York City, he was awarded the Lhakar Award for his contributions to the Tibetan freedom movement. Earlier, on July 12, 2022, he was also presented with the 7th Tulku Tenzin Delek Rinpoche Courage Award at an event organized by the International Tibet Network in Richmond, California.
