(TibetanReview.net, Aug29’25) – Rather than dropping the charges and releasing him unconditionally as advised by nine UN human rights experts way back in 2020, China has increased the jail sentence of a popular Tibetan social and environmental activist in Golog (Chinese: Guoluo) prefecture of Qinghai province just when he was about to complete his seven-year sentence. Now, instead of Sep 2025, he is likely to be released, as of now, only in Feb 2026, according to Tibet Watch, the research arm of London-based Free Tibet Campaign, Aug 26.
It is not clear why the jail sentence of the activist, A-Nya Sengdra, 52, has been increased. The group only said he has been charged for another offence in prison.
Known for troubling the authorities with his campaigns against local corruption, illegal mining, and illegal hunting and poaching of endangered animals, he was arrested by the police in the prefecture’s Gade County in Sep 2018, accused of “gathering people to disturb public order”, due to his leadership of his nomadic community in environmental protection efforts. And he was charged with “picking quarrels and provoking trouble”, the group said.
This is China’s favourite charge for trying its democracy, environment, human rights, and a range of other activists.
Since his arrest, and even after being sentenced on Dec 6, 2021, A-Nya Sengdra, a nomadic resident of the county’s Kyangche (Jiangqian) Township, has mostly been held incommunicado. It was only in mid-Aug 2025 that his family was finally allowed a visit for the first time. But it lasted only minutes. The family found him in frail condition and remains seriously concerned about his health, the group said.
A-Nya Sengdra appealed three times for a retrial at the Xi’an High People’s Court in Shaanxi province, but without success, the group said.
His Chinese lawyer, Lin Qilei, was quoted as saying in a social media post Nov 5, 2024: “As usual, I filled out the necessary forms and waited in line. After some time, a judge came out and informed me that they had decided not to review Sengdra’s case. He advised me not to return to the court regarding this matter in the future.”
Tibet Watch noted that that in 2020, nine UN human rights experts issued a joint public statement, asking the Chinese government to drop the charges against A-Nya Sengdra and release him.
“We are deeply concerned by what appears to be the criminalisation of the legitimate work of a minority community member and human rights defender. We are also concerned about the reports of deterioration of his physical and mental integrity due to poor detention conditions,” the statement was quoted as saying.