In a troubling declaration made from Geneva on March 29, 2025, three UN Special Rapporteurs voiced their serious concerns regarding the detention of Tibetan environmental activist Tsongon Tsering. Esteemed figures, including Mary Lawlor and Irene Khan, emphasised the actions against Tsering, who had been advocating against destructive sand mining activities by a construction company in Ngaba Prefecture, Sichuan. His activism has seen him rallying communities in his pursuit of environmental protection, leading campaigns to combat single-use plastics through his dedicated volunteer group.
The UN’s joint communication illuminated Tsongon’s plight, detailing his arrest following an online protest against the environmental devastation caused by roads built by Anhui Xianhe Construction Engineering Company Ltd. These operations, said to severely damage local rivers, led to his initial interrogation in October 2024 for sharing a revealing video about the issue, culminating in his incommunicado detention until his family learned he was to face legal proceedings.
Sentenced to eight months of imprisonment on vague charges of “disrupting social order,” his current fate remains clouded, with his social media accounts having vanished without trace. The Special Rapporteurs, advocating for transparency, called upon the Chinese authorities to clarify the situation surrounding Tsering’s detention, ensuring his rights to legal representation and family contact are upheld. Furthermore, they highlighted the dire environmental implications caused by the sand mining and urged measures to prevent further human rights abuses against activists like him.
Reiterating the growing concern for Tibetan defenders, the Tibet Bureau in Geneva praised the UN’s intervention, condemning Tsering’s wrongful detention as a stark example of the broader harassment faced by those advocating for human rights and environmental preservation in Tibet. They urged China to fulfil its global human rights obligations and stop its suppression of peaceful protest.
Three UN Special Rapporteurs expressed grave concerns about Tibetan activist Tsongon Tsering’s detention linked to his environmental advocacy against sand mining. After being arrested for protesting, Tsering faced interrogation and was sentenced to eight months in prison on dubious charges. The UN calls for Chinese authorities to clarify his situation and protect human rights, while the Tibet Bureau condemns the ongoing suppression of environmental activists in the region.
The detention of Tsongon Tsering underscores alarming trends of human rights violations against environmental advocates in Tibet. The UN’s intervention sheds light on a critical issue that simultaneously threatens ecological integrity and free expression. Urging transparency from Chinese authorities, the call for accountability and action against such actions is vital for the future of human rights in the region.
Original Source: tibet.net
