Tibetan nomad, environmental defender, and anti-corruption activist A-nya Sengdra has been released from Mianyang Prison after more than seven years of imprisonment. The 55-year-old community leader returned to his hometown in Kyangche Township, Gade County, in Amdo (currently administered as Qinghai Province) on 7 February 2026.
While his release marks the formal end of his prison term, reports indicate that he remains under heavy restrictions and is suffering from serious health complications caused by years of detention.
Severe Health Deterioration in Custody
Sources confirm that Sengdra developed vision problems, kidney disease, and severe hypertension during his imprisonment. Following his re-arrest in September 2018, he was reportedly beaten and denied access to legal counsel for 48 days. Family members were barred from visiting him during the early stages of detention.
His lawyer, Lin Qilei, previously stated that Sengdra suffered from high blood pressure and that medical treatment in detention was ineffective. When family members were finally permitted a brief visit in August 2025 after years of restricted contact, they described him as frail and physically deteriorated.
Arbitrary Sentence Extension and Post-Release Surveillance
Sengdra’s original seven-year sentence was due to end on 3 September 2025. However, authorities extended his detention by more than five months, ultimately releasing him on 7 February 2026. The extension was reportedly based on alleged “prison rule violations,” though no transparent judicial explanation was provided.
Despite his release, he and his family are reportedly prohibited from discussing his case or sharing information online. Authorities have also barred him from traveling to seek urgently needed medical treatment, effectively keeping him under continued surveillance in his hometown.
A Voice Against Corruption and Environmental Destruction
A-nya Sengdra earned widespread respect in Golog for defending local nomads and campaigning against corruption. In 2014, he co-founded a voluntary organization known as “Mangdon Ling” (“Public Affairs Forum”) with fellow nomads to address illegal mining, wildlife poaching, and alleged embezzlement of public funds.
He publicly questioned the disappearance of 18 million yuan allocated for housing facilities for relocated nomads in Kyangche Township. Petitions filed by Sengdra and local residents asked why poverty alleviation funds had been diverted and why housing subsidies and compensation for seized grassland and forestry land had not reached intended beneficiaries.
Prior to his 2018 arrest, more than 200 Tibetans supported his petition to the Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee against local authorities. Reports indicate that after his detention, some of the issues he raised were addressed, including payment of housing subsidies and minimum livelihood allowances to local residents.
Fabricated Charges and Denial of Legal Rights
Sengdra was initially detained in 2014 and later re-arrested on 4 September 2018 on charges including “gathering people to disturb social order” and “picking quarrels and provoking troubles,” a vaguely defined offence under Article 293 of Chinese Criminal Law frequently used against activists.
During pretrial proceedings, his lawyer reported pressure from local authorities to alter the case narrative, including attempts to introduce additional allegations. Sengdra refused to plead guilty. On 6 December 2019, the Gade County Court sentenced him to seven years in prison.
Nine other Tibetan nomads were sentenced in connection with the same case.
In the days following his arrest in 2018, Sengdra’s wife, Yangkyi, submitted a petition asserting that the charges were baseless and that his detention was retaliation for defending the rights of local nomads.
Tragically, Sengdra’s brother, Jimtri, who was also detained in connection with the case, reportedly died after being transferred from detention to hospital in late 2019. Details surrounding his death remain unclear.
International Attention and Advocacy
Sengdra’s case attracted sustained international concern. United Nations human rights experts raised questions about his detention conditions and health. The United States and European Union referenced his case in public human rights reporting, and international advocacy organizations called for his release and access to medical care.
Over 140 Tibet advocacy groups mobilized following the extension of his sentence in 2025, describing it as arbitrary and calling for his immediate and unconditional release.
Ongoing Concerns
Although A-nya Sengdra has been released from prison, significant concerns remain about his health, freedom of movement, and continued surveillance. Advocacy groups continue to call on authorities to lift restrictions, allow him to seek medical treatment, and ensure that he and his family are not subjected to further harassment.
His case stands as a reminder of the risks faced by Tibetan environmental defenders and community leaders who raise concerns about corruption, land rights, and the protection of local livelihoods.
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