Reported By Palden
Edited By Pema Tso
Translated By TenGyal
On February 7th, the Chinese authorities released the Tibetan environmental activist Anyak Sengdra after the completion of his seven-year sentence. Although he is currently back in his hometown, Kyangche Township, verified reports obtained by the Tibet Times indicate that his health has severely deteriorated. He is facing health issues such as kidney disease, weakened eye-sight and high blood pressure. It is currently unknown whether receiving any medical care and treatment. Even as such, it has come to light that his movements are being strictly monitored and restricted. Furthermore, his family members and relatives have been issued strict orders prohibiting them from sharing or distributing any photos of him.
Tibetan environmental activist and anti-corruption advocate Anyak Sengdra campaigned against local government officials’ abuse of power and corruption, illegal natural resource extraction, and the poaching of precious wildlife. After becoming a figure of support and admiration for the local nomadic population, the Chinese government—alleging he had committed illegal acts—arrested him in 2014 and sentenced him to one year and three months in prison. He was released from Xining Dongchuan Prison on October 18, 2016.
In 2018, the Chinese government arrested Anya Sengdra again under the pretext of “disturbing social order.” Although his wife, Yangkyi, and lawyer Lin Qilei filed successive legal appeals in late 2018 and early 2019, on December 6, 2019, Anyak Sengdra was sentenced to 7 years in prison for charges including “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” and “gathering a crowd to disturb social order.” While his prison term was technically completed in September of last year, the Chinese authorities accused him of “illegal behaviour” while in prison, and decreed that he would not be released until February of this year.
Anya Sengdra, currently 55 years old, is a native of Kyangche Township in Gade County, Golog, Tibet. He established an organisation called Mangdon Leng “Discussion of Public Affairs,” a grass-roots platform, and exposed many issues, such as local officials embezzling relief funds provided by higher authorities for the public, illegal mining, discrimination, and a general disregard for the welfare of the public, particularly the lack of care for the impoverished residents. He has taken these grievances to the county, prefectural, and provincial levels to file formal petitions.
