Tibetan environmental rights activist Tsongon Tsering was released from prison on 8 July 2025, after spending more than eight months in detention in Ngaba (Ch: Aba) Prefecture, Sichuan Province. His early release, before completing his full sentence, was reportedly accompanied by stringent conditions that continue to severely restrict his fundamental freedoms. The exact reason for his early release is not known.
Tsering, a 29-year-old resident of Kakhog (Ch: Hongyuan) County, in Ngaba (Ch: Aba) Prefecture, Sichuan Province, was initially detained in October 2024 after posting a five-minute video on his Kuaishou social media account in which he filed a real-name complaint against mining activities carried out by the Anhui Xianhe Construction Engineering Company. The company was allegedly engaged in resource extraction under the guise of road-building projects. His peaceful protest led to a sentence of eight months in prison by the Kyungchu County People’s Court, later extended by another eight months after he reportedly refused to plead guilty. Authorities invoked the broadly defined charge of “disrupting social order,” a catch-all phrase frequently used by Chinese officials to suppress dissent.
Upon his return to the village following his release, a large group of supporters gathered to welcome him. His release took place during a period of increased security across Tibet, particularly in July, a time of heightened sensitivity due to His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday. Although local authorities attempted to disperse the crowd, no arrests were made, likely due to the unexpected scale of the turnout. According to sources contacted by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), Tsering appeared physically frail at the time of his release.
Despite his release, Tsering is now subject to sweeping restrictions. He is barred from making public or private remarks deemed “harmful to the government,” and from organizing or participating in any group activities, including informal gatherings. Such measures severely impede his rights to free expression and peaceful assembly, and appear to be aimed at silencing his environmental advocacy.
In January 2025, three United Nations Special Rapporteurs sent a seven-page joint communication to the Chinese government expressing serious concerns about Tsering’s arrest, detention, and the broader context of repression in which it occurred. The experts including the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Special Rapporteur on on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and the Special Rapporteur on human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, noted that Tsering’s case illustrates a disturbing trend in which Tibetan environmental defenders face arbitrary detention, surveillance, intimidation, and reprisals for peacefully raising concerns about extractive projects on Tibetan land. The communication questioned the Chinese government regarding the legal basis for the charges, highlighted the lack of due process, and underscored the chilling effect on civic space for Tibetan communities.
“Although we welcome the release of Tsongon Tsering from prison, we remain deeply concerned about his health and the extensive restrictions imposed on him,” said Dawa Tashi, Researcher at the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy. “He should never have been imprisoned in the first place. His case exemplifies the risks faced by Tibetan environmental defenders simply for exercising their right to speak out against harmful state and corporate practices.”
Chinese authorities have long relied on vaguely worded legal provisions to target Tibetans advocating for environmental protection, cultural preservation, and religious freedom. The continued surveillance and harassment of Tsongon Tsering reflect a broader campaign to silence peaceful activism and maintain control over Tibetan lands and resources.
TCHRD calls on the Chinese government to immediately lift all restrictions imposed on Tsongon Tsering, provide full access to necessary medical care, and guarantee his rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in accordance with international human rights law. The ongoing repression of environmental defenders must end, and the Chinese authorities responsible for violating their rights must be held accountable.
