Former Tibet government head sentenced to life in prison

(Reuters) - Che Dalha, the former government head of the Tibet Autonomous Region, has been sentenced to life ​in prison over corruption, China's official Xinhua news agency reported ‌on Friday.

Che Dalha, or Qizhala, 67 and of Tibetan ethnicity, illegally took in more than 158 million yuan ($23.35 million) from 1999 to 2025 while he ​worked in the country's southwestern border regions of Tibet and ​Yunnan, as well as during postings in Beijing, a ⁠court in the southwestern Chinese city of Chongqing found.

He had served ​as the Communist Party chief of Tibet's capital, Lhasa, and then ​as chair of the Tibet Autonomous Region's government as the region's second-highest ranking official. The top official in Tibet is the regional Communist Party chief.

China's anti-graft ​watchdog announced a probe into Che Dalha in January 2025. He ​was formally removed from public office and expelled from the party six months ‌later.

Leveraging ⁠his official positions, Che Dalha provided assistance to individuals and organisations "in matters concerning real estate development, project contracting, administrative approvals, and job promotions" while receiving properties and valuables in return, the court said.

His ​actions "caused particularly serious losses ​to the ⁠interests of the state and the people," the court found. It ordered deprivation of political rights for ​life, and confiscation of all personal assets.

Che Dalha ​admitted guilt ⁠and expressed remorse during the court proceedings, state media said.

Beijing has exerted greater institutional control in Tibet since Xi Jinping became the country's ⁠leader ​in 2012. Human rights groups and exiles ​describe China's rule in the region over the decades as "oppressive", an accusation that Beijing ​rejects.