Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Nov. 20: Renowned Tibetan environmental activist Karma Samdrup, sentenced to 15 years in prison by a Chinese court, has reportedly been released as of Tuesday. Images of Karma, appearing frail and supported by two men believed to be his relatives, were widely shared across social media platforms.
Karma was sentenced on June 24, 2010, by the Yanqi Hui Autonomous County People’s Court in East Turkestan (CH. Xinjiang) on charges of excavating ancient tombs and stealing cultural relics. His arrest on January 3, 2010, followed a visit to his brothers, Chime Namgyal and Rinchen Samdrup, who had been detained in August 2009 after publicly urging local authorities to halt the poaching of endangered species in Chamdo, Tibet. The charges against Karma have long been regarded as politically motivated.
While Karma is now free, he remains subject to a five-year deprivation of political rights imposed by the “Xinjiang” court. Under this punitive measure, which began on the date of his release, Karma faces restrictions on his civil liberties, including the rights to vote, stand for election, express opinions freely, assemble, and hold positions in state-affiliated organisations.
Karma Samdrup, along with his brothers, co-founded the ‘Snowlands Three Rivers Environmental Protection Group’, which has received multiple accolades for its conservation efforts. The group was awarded the Earth Prize, jointly administered by Friends of the Earth Hong Kong and the Ford Motor Company, and was also recognised by Chinese actor Jet Li’s One World Foundation. In 2006, Karma was honoured as “Philanthropist of the Year” by China Central Television (CCTV) for “creating harmony between man and nature.”
