Tibetan Activist Jailed for Exposing Environmental Damage by Chinese Firm

Tsongon Tsering, a 29-year-old Tibetan, was sentenced to eight months in prison on Oct. 27 by a Sichuan court for protesting illegal sand mining by Anhui Xianhe Construction Engineering Company in his village. According to the Tibet Times, he was convicted of “inciting public unrest” after exposing the damage in an online video. While Chinese authorities acknowledged the firm's environmental violations, they imposed only a minor fine. Local support for Tsering remains strong despite efforts to intimidate attendees at his trial. The affected river feeds major Asian waterways, including the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers.