Press Statement: Dharamsala Welcomes Release of Phuntsog Nyidrol
Phontsog Nyidrol, 15 long years in prison for her country and people (Photo: CSPT, Amnesty International) |
Dharamsala, 27 February: “The Central Tibetan Administration welcomes the news, as reported by the Associated Press, that Phuntsog Nyidrol who was imprisoned in 1989 at the age of 22 for her vocal expression of her political views has been released from prison,” said Kalon Thubten Lungrig, the Kalon for the Departments of Religion and Culture and Education of the Central Tibetan Administration.
“We appreciate this gesture by the Chinese authorities. We sincerely hope that her release and the earlier release of Takna Jigme Sangpo, Ngawang Sangdrol and Ngawang Chophel, all prisoners of conscience, is an indication of China’s willingness to change its policy on Tibet,” said Kalon Thupten Lungrig.
Phuntsog Nyidrol, the longest serving Tibetan female political prisoner, was reportedly released from Drapchi Prison on Tuesday, Feb. 24 – a year earlier than the actual release date of March 2005.
Phuntsok Nyidrol, born in 1968, a nun by 18 years of age, first led a peaceful demonstration in Barkhor three days after His Holiness the Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989. As a consequence of the demonstration 14 nuns were arrested, including Phuntsog. According to her testimony received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, she was kicked and beaten during the arrest and later given electric shocks on the hands, shoulders, breasts, tongue and face.
On October 8, 1993, she sang a song in prison with 13 other nuns, dedicated to the freedom of Tibet and applauding His Holiness the Dalai Lama in front of the Chinese prison police. The song resulted in extension of her sentence to eight more years in Drapchi.
In 1995, while in prison, Phuntsok Nyidrol was awarded the Reebok Human Rights Award.
A fellow prison mate in exile said that Phunstog in 1994 had constant problems with her kidneys and stomach pain, and became severely hunched.
Kalon Thupten Lungrig urged the Chinese authorities to ensure that Phuntsog Nyidrol is given proper medical treatment and thanked all the organisations and individuals throughout the world which had worked for her release.
News of Nyidrol’s release came immediately after the US State Department released its annual human rights report that found China guilty in Tibet of “serious human rights abuses, including execution without due process, torture, arbitrary arrest, detention without public trial, and lengthy detention of Tibetans for peacefully expressing their political or religious views.”
On Feb. 3, 2004, the U.S. House of Representatives passed House Resolution 157, calling on China to release immediately Phuntsog Nyidrol and all Tibetan prisoners of conscience.
Contact:
Thubten Samphel/Sonam N. Dagpo
Tel: 01892-222457/222510/224846
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