Tibetan Activist Karma Samdrup Released After 15-Year Incarceration

Karma Samdrup, a key Tibetan environmentalist, has been released after 15 years in prison, amid ongoing restrictions and vague reports about his current condition. His conviction highlighted China's contentious judicial methods and increased focus on the suppression of activism in Tibet.

Tibetan environmentalist and philanthropist Karma Samdrup has been freed from incarceration after serving a 15-year sentence. Official sources report that his prison term concluded on November 19, 2024, although other accounts suggest an earlier release on November 18. Despite his release, Samdrup faces a five-year deprivation of political rights. His current location and health status remain undisclosed.

Samdrup's arrest on January 3, 2010, followed his advocacy for the release of his brothers, detained for their anti-poaching efforts in Tibet. His detention seemed retaliatory, particularly after visiting his imprisoned siblings. Charged with 1998 allegations related to tomb excavation and cultural relic theft, Samdrup's charges were previously resolved but reappeared during his 2010 arrest, leading to a 15-year sentence by a Xinjiang court.

The Samdrup case underscored controversial judicial practices in China, with allegations of police torture to coerce a confession. During his June 22, 2010 trial, Samdrup revealed severe police brutality, including beatings, sleep deprivation, and being drugged. These claims challenged recent government regulations against illegal evidence collection. The plight of the Samdrup family brought global attention to the suppression of environmental and human rights advocacy in Tibet, with both brothers also facing significant legal consequences.

(With inputs from agencies.)